Bloody Checkmate
by Itonami
Summary: It is my turn to make them suffer. To them, I am nothing more than a pawn, but little do they know that I am now the only one who knows how to checkmate. And it is winner take all. Kaname x Yuuki
1. Chapter 1

_Notes: An attempt at Kaname's view of events. Adapted from Chapters 11 and 35 of the manga. Now edited with the new enlightening information from chapter 36._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book One: _Good-Bye_

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It is difficult to imagine a life without knowing my beloved Yuuki. She is everything that I consume: the air, every thought, all of eternity. I was there when she was born in the hushed whispers of the night, the lights lowly dancing and flickering to magnify the secret of a new born baby Pureblood.

Pureblood.

How I hate the label. It is ever so confining, so limiting in what I can do for my princess. No longer was it a title to respect the ones of pure, sacred lineage, but a label that allowed greedy noblemen to take advantage of a little girl and her innocent family. As a result, my own life was ruined due to their greed; they were no different than the humans—everything that they did was for their own gain.

Now there was hell to be paid; I am already damned to Hell for my vengeful plans, so I want to take as many of those treacherous fools with me.

Living every day is a torture to my broken soul, seeing Yuuki struggle needlessly in her frail human form. I had to keep things from her, making me, the being who worshiped the very ground on which she walked, her enemy. Whenever she asks me, begs me, to tell her if I had anything to do with her vanished memories, I want to tell her that I have to lie, that it was the wish of her dying mother, and that I would sell my soul to see her happy, to see her laugh freely without burden. But the words never come, and Yuuki goes on to think that I was keeping things from her just to spite her.

I am her blood brother. My parents gave birth to her as my future wife since it is not uncommon for Purebloods to marry within the family. My parents were also siblings. For what seemed like a night's dream, I was happy, happy with my loving parents and their daughter, my beloved sister, Princess Yuuki. She was the most beautiful creature in my existence with her big round eyes that stared at me with an undeserving look of complete adoration. Her voice, like the many tinkling of angels' bells, still haunts my dreams.

The night when she born, my father had looked so devastated when he held the cooing baby in his arms. He knew that she had to go into hiding, never able to see the dazzling world above because greedy vampires planned to get her involved in their treacherous politics. It meant that I could never take her sledding or spontaneously build a snowman with her when it snowed. When I was able to fully understand this fact, my resentment grew. Insolent creatures. They dared to use the Purebloods as a puppet to do their bidding, and my hatred for them never left. Instead, it took root in my black heart, and blossomed into the blackest rose. And a rose, if not kept under control, will begin to invade every part of its surroundings.

But even with my dark heart, my princess still loved me. I hated the longing look in her beautiful eyes whenever I came back from the outside world. My greatest wish, back then, was to let her see the reddest rose I had ever seen in my life, and I promised to harden one in resin to see if my could capture its stunning beauty for her to see.

But the night of that promise, things began to fall apart.

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The room in the basement was empty save for the corpse of my mother. First, I had to rearrange the bodies of my dead parents to make it look like a murder-suicide—my father said it was the best way to keep the Senate from knowing what happened and the truth about our secret princess. It was not difficult since there was already so much precious blood lost. I carefully lay my beautiful mother next to my equally beautiful father whose hands I stained red with her blood and his own. My eyes stung and my vision grew hazy. Tears? I smiled sadly. At least I am capable of crying for my parents; perhaps I'm not such a terrible monster.

The murder-suicide set up and Yuuki's human transformation was all planned even before she was born. My parents had somehow known—but still hoped in spite of it—that my father's older brother, Kuran Rido, would find out our secret. He was bloodthirsty for power and he already had half of the Senate within his control. I clenched my bloody fists at the thought of my uncle and everything within me trembled with hostility. I let out a breath to calm my shaking body as I reminded myself that I had killed him. Ripped him to shreds out of my rage. He would never touch Yuuki so long as I shall exist. My father was powerful and he had fought valiantly, killing Rido's followers, but he was no match for Rido, who had killed his parents and drank their blood—a taboo in our dark society. With the blood of two more Purebloods in his veins, his power was unprecedented. So how did I manage to kill him? He was already wounded with the fight with my father, and I simply knew how to corner him then go in for the kill. Rido was mostly brawn than brains, and I had both.

When I was finished with the arrangement, I meticulously erased all evidence of a little girl's existence within the room since it was likely that the Senate would scour the room for any clues. Taking a key from my pocket, I unlocked a desk drawer in my father's study and carefully pulled out a long envelope: the composed suicide note. After I tucked it in my pocket, I went back to where my parents rested. I looked at his peacefully sleeping face. His ivory skin seemed even paler in death. I went up the stairs to the regular mansion and picked up the phone. I called the Senate. "My parents…they are dead."

A car came by to pick me up, black and ominous as the air itself. The snow was falling. It wished it was raining instead. It would match the occasion. I was driven to the Senate House where I explained what I had been doing that day and what I had found when I got back home. I even read the suicide letter, a piece of convincing evidence that I had not killed them. There was a mix of horrified shock and mounting pleasure, and my stomach churned with the urge to kill all of them, innocent or otherwise, but I kept still, knowing that I had to behave myself for my princess. One by one, they shook my hand—some even had the nerve to pat my shoulder—and offered their worthless condolences.

They discussed the next line of action for the Purebloods, and one of the senators—a follower of Rido—suggested the impossible.

"It is impossible for Kaname-sama to lead us yet. There is another option. Rido-sama, the Pureblood that the Senate has kept under strict surveillance, has enough power to take over as the head of the Kuran family. It is only right; after all, Kuran Haruka is his _younger_ brother."

There were murmurs that rippled throughout the Senate. Soon, someone ran into the room, breathless and tense. "Rido-sama has escaped our surveillance! We cannot find him. His tracks are covered too well."

I could see the smug smiles on some of their faces at the news. When they caught my burning eyes, their conceited smiles disappeared in a heartbeat.

It was difficult to escape from them for I was under watch, in case something happened to me also, but I managed to get permission to go back to the house after they recovered the bodies of my parents. I hated the idea of their dirty hands defiling their bodies, but I could not say anything that would not arouse suspicion.

When I returned, the basement was clean and empty. Quickly, I went to Yuuki's secret room; it was disguised as a bookcase, and it could only be open if one kissed the gargoyle that acted as a bookend. She always wrinkled her face at him whenever I kissed his nose, and giggled when I quickly kissed her nose to sate her childish jealousy. The bookcase noiselessly slid to one side and revealed the inner chamber of her room. Her little bed was at the far end of the room, and she had a large stuffed bear next to a comfortable armchair. One of us read to her every night before she went to sleep, but she liked it the best when it was my turn. My father would pout at her undisguised excitement at my turn, and she had to kiss his cheek twice before he was in a better mood.

The room was empty. I was expecting her to be in the bed waiting for me. The ritual my mother had performed on her cost her life, and it would make the life she had lived as a Pureblood become locked away somewhere far within her heart, and that she would not be able to remember anything. So, I had expected her to remain where she was, confused and nervous. I panicked. Where had she gone? Did she wander from the basement on her own?

I raced out of the room, pausing only to seal it, and sniffed the air. The rich fragrance of my parents' blood was still heavily present, but her incredibly honey-sweet scent led up the stairs and outside of the mansion by the back glass doors, and I followed it the best I could, but my head was about to burst with the anxiety from being apart from her without knowing where she was. I gritted my teeth and tried to restrain my emotions. I had been so good at it before, but why was it getting so difficult now? The blizzard outside was raging, howling as if in agony, and I knew I to find her before something else did. The winds were throwing her scent around all around me, and I could not decipher which direction she was located. I was almost frantic as I climbed the snowy hills, slipping several times in my haste and falling to my knees. The harsh winds stung my skin and numbed it to the point where I could no longer feel the bitterness of the cold.

The winds were blowing south and I was heading north; I picked her scent, but there was an unfamiliar smell that reeked in the air. The dread of finding her dead flooded my body, and I had to force myself to keep moving. My pace was even faster than before and her scent grew stronger with each passing second. It felt like two eternities before I could see a large shadow looming over a tiny one, but instead of fear, I felt fury rip through me like a hot dagger. The wind carried her shrill scream my way and before I was even aware of what my body was doing, I had already slashed out with such force that I beheaded volatile vampire. Blood splattered on me and the ground like red paint; it smelled like old rags that were never cleaned. _You are a disgrace to all vampires._ Only when I heard my own snarl in the wind did I realize that I had spoken aloud.

"Are you okay?"

She did not answer me, only looked at me with an innocent, naïve perplexity. She was still so beautiful. She sat in the snow, cold and trembling, staring at me then the red stain on her pink mitten. I watched in silent horror as she raised her hand to sniff it. Instinctively, I reached out and stopped her. "No, don't touch that. Why are you in this sort of place?" I had to feint ignorance, but she could not answer any of those questions.

"Come here." I gently took her hand and pulled her toward me and she obeyed without thought. It felt like I was starting over, which was true. "I'm Kaname. You?"

She looked at me again, her eyes reflecting her confusion and terror. Her hand shook more violently, and I could not resist sweeping her into my arms. As I held her, I could feel her throat tighten as she tried not to cry. She whimpered quietly. "Oh, it's alright. You are afraid, right? It's alright now." _I 'm here_. I wanted to say them. Though those two words seemed meaningless and inadequate, I still wanted to say them.

I held out my hand, hoping with every fiber of my being that she would take it, accept it as she had done so easily before. I saw her hesitate but she reached out her little hand to grasp my fingers, and I held it, determined to never let it go for the rest of my life. She was cold; her body was shivering without ceasing, and I picked her up and carried her to keep her warm. Her tiny arms wrapped around my neck, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

The blizzard soon faded into a gentle fall of snow, and the skies no longer held their ominous signs in their color. The sun, though obscured by the clouds, resigned for the day and a new night settled as I continued to walk for miles and miles as I wanted to get to my destination as quickly as possible.

Then on the next hill, I could see the light shining through a little window, and I saw the cozy cottage of Cross Kaien, an ex-vampire hunter. He had changed his ways after he was assigned to kill my mother. His tracking abilities were envied by other hunters, and there was good reason for that. He found my mother in the room in the basement, a room that not even vampires knew about, and he was ready to kill her. Her eyes were alight with rare anger and fear—fear for her baby daughter cradled safely against her chest. My father and I had been attending a Senate meeting, which was why he chose that day after observing our schedules and habits. When we got back, we were panicked by the outside smell, a human scent, and we rushed downstairs, our teeth bared as we braced ourselves for the worst. But there he was, playing with the baby as if he was a part of an extended family that had come for a surprise visit, and my mother serving him her famous tea cakes with coffee.

Cross gave up hunting after meeting us, after finding out that vampires were just as capable of emotions like love and happiness as humans. He was exiled from the Hunter's Association, and now he lives rather peacefully in his cottage, catching up on all of the things that he had been unable to do as a hunter, like read novels and write books. A few years after his exile, he set up Cross Academy for elite students.

I approached his doorstep and knocked twice and waited, and I could tell that Yuuki was still awake even though she held very still for a child. The door opened to reveal the kind, familiar face of Cross, and I felt the unbelievable amount of relief that washed over me when I saw him smile. His eyes soon looked away from mine and settled on the princess, his eyes sobering and the smile disappearing. Looking at me again, he grinned, though with effort, and chuckled.

"Kaname-kun, it's a pleasure seeing you here." He gestured us inside, and I put her down on the sofa in the middle of the room. I sat down next to her, and took off her bloodstained coat. I tossed it aside, and Cross came in with a bowl of pudding for Yuuki. I took it and handed it to her to eat. I did not speak. I had no words to begin. He knew already what had to happen; my mother asked him after he was exiled.

He smiled again. "I understand that you want her to be taken care of."

I nodded and looked at her. "I want nothing more."

"After all, you are the son left behind by the person I am indebted to." He meant my mother. He said that if it weren't for Yuuki, my mother could have easily killed him, but she chose not to. Instead, she made him understand something that he had never realized before.

There was a brief silence, and our eyes automatically went to observe the little one beside me.

"The child doesn't seem to know that the pudding is for eating." There was humor in his voice, clearly amused when she sniffed the food curiously.

"Yes, it seems all of her memories have completely disappeared ." I took the spoon from her and scooped some pudding onto it. "You should use the spoon to eat it. Yes, like that. Say, 'ah.'"

The princess froze. Her eyes grew wider. "What's wrong? Open up."

She reached out past the spoonful of pudding and toward my mouth, where she gently pushed away my lips as if searching for something.

"Kyaaa!"

She screamed as she scrambled away from me to the farthest end of the sofa she could go, her face etched with horror and shock as she clamped both of her tiny hands over her mouth. She had seen my fangs, the same fangs that the other vampire possessed in the blizzard. I could not help it. I abruptly stood, my heart racing and aching with something inexplicable, and ran my fingers through my hair to keep myself from giving anything away.

"Chairman Cross, I think I should get out of her sight. I'm going back."

He looked at me with pity and sadness. "Back…? To that place? It wasn't easy for you to leave. Since your parents' deaths, that place has become a demon-den that tries to make use of you."

I saw the glaring truth in his words. I was nothing more than a pawn to them, but little did they know that I was now the only one who knew how to checkmate. "Still, I should go back." _To destroy them all._

I glanced back at my princess who had gotten over her initial shock, but she was still scared of me. I could see it in her eyes. They were brown now. They were not that pretty amethyst color anymore.

I whispered the final words, hoping that my voice did not give away the agony inside. It tore at my heart and I felt like I was dying. "Good bye."

It felt so final, like the end of something that had never started.

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_Notes: Reviews would be nice? _


	2. Chapter 2

_Notes: I'm continuing this as long as the ideas keep flowing. Thanks for taking the time to review! Many of these events are taken from the flashbacks provided by the manga, so I'm not totally making things up. If you've read the manga as much as I have, you'll probably recognize many of the scenes. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not know any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Two: _Allies and Enemies_

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I sat in an uncomfortable chair across from a fidgeting Ichijou Takuma, who sat with his nervous hands playing with the fabric of his pants. The atmosphere was tense, something that I grew used to by the second day. We were sitting in the living room of Ichijou's manor, waiting for the man who now deemed himself as my guardian. He had ignored my insistence at not needing one, and already made plans to draft the legal papers. His actions, though accepted as generous and kind by most, triggered the suspicion that he was indeed working against me. But I was not surprised. I never liked the passive hostility with which he eyed my father and mother when he was in their presence.

My eyes strayed to my friend's face. Ichijou was always looked happier than me, and my mother thought that his smiles would in turn affect me to smile more. But, my happiness was not the same kind of carefree, naïve happiness that my friend possessed. Mine was always burdened by the fear that it would be taken away from me, and I was right. It was much harder than I thought, getting rejected by my princess, and I did not think that I could ever face her again—my heart ached too much. My uncle destroyed my happiness.

My reverie was broken by the long-awaited entrance by Ichijou's grandfather: my self-proclaimed guardian, my uncle's spy, Ichijou Asato. He looked younger than I saw him last, probably due to the small smile that twitched upon his thin lips. He bowed at his waist, a sign of mockery rather than respect.

"Ah, Kaname-sama, you were already here. I apologize for keeping you waiting."

My name said by his mouth made it seem vile and filthy. I allowed a small smile at the thought. "It's alright. I wasn't waiting long. What is it that you wanted to talk about, Ichiou?"

"I wanted to see if you would like to have a gathering of sorts—there are many people who still wish you their condolences. It would be an appropriate time to announce my guardianship."

It was his turn to move across the chessboard and I would indulge him for the time being. I already knew where he would go. "Perhaps it would be fitting." I mused aloud, and I saw his smirk grow a fraction of an inch. They were so easy to fool.

It was not surprising when the date of the party was only two days away, and Ichijou looked at me nervously out of the corner of his eye. I smiled to reassure him and his shoulders visibly relaxed. With a grandfather as powerful as Ichiou, it would not be hard to assume that he was under the control of said grandfather. Though my friend did not know the purpose of his usefulness, I could certainly guess, but as long as my princess's secret was kept, nothing mattered. He would be useful to me in the future.

Ichiou left the room with another bow to me and a glance at his grandson. Ichijou let out such a big sigh of relief that I had to smile a little. He turned to me and grinned apologetically. "I know you didn't want a guardian. I'm sorry about my grandpa. He's just stubborn and he really respected your parents."

My smile faded; I could not hold it in place at the horrible lie behind his words of comfort. "It's alright. I didn't want to trouble him with another responsibility."

He seemed glad at my reaction. I shuddered to think what might have happened to me if I was as naïve as my friend. A maid brought in tea for us with a plate of crumpets, but they only reminded me of my mother's cakes and tea time. I stared into my cup, remembering how cheerful she was when Yuuki spoke her first words; she was so excited that she almost spilled the teapot over my father's head. I wondered if my princess would resemble my mother in some way.

The maid came back in, this time clutching a piece of paper in her hands. With both hands, she held it out for me and bowed. "A telegram has come for you, sir."

Curious, I unfolded it and read:

Kaname-kun! Help! Vampires have found us and have attacked. There are four of them, and Yuuki is terrified. I can't stop her from screaming. Come as soon as you get this! – CK

I sat, frozen to my chair, my eyes wide with disbelief. They found out? How? I made sure that nothing in the house smelled like her! How could they have found her so fast? Her scent? She did smell sweet, beautifully sweet. I jolted out of my seat, knocking over the crumpets and the china cups, and ran out without another word to Ichijou.

"Kaname, wait! Where are you going?"

I ignored him and ran faster than I had ever run in my life. I quickly caught a taxi and paid the driver ten times the regular fee to drive me as fast as he could. I rushed out even before the car could come to a full stop, and my heart was pounding against my ribcage, ready to burst if I found her dead.

Scrambling, I swiftly made it through the hills and saw my destination. There were no tracks outside or any sign of struggle. Was it an ambush? I burst through the door, my claws ready to fight immediately. Instead of four ravenous vampires, I found Cross standing outside of Yuuki's room.

"Oh, good evening, Kaname-kun. Why are you here all of a sudden?" He asked pleasantly surprised.

Confused, I looked at him incredulously. "Eh…? Didn't you send a telegram saying that the vampires who are tracking her attacked this place?" Cross looked mischievous. Relief and annoyance swept over me and my heart calmed down enough for me to speak. "Though I was skeptical, I ran away from my watchers and hurried, running all the way here." My nails dug into the door that I had been holding open. "You were lying, huh?"

Cross only chuckled good-humoredly and mischief glinted in his eyes behind his spectacles.

Embarrassed and flustered by falling for his now-evident lie, I turned away, not wanting to see my princess. "I won't believe you ever again." The words sounded childish even to my ears, but it was all I could threaten because he knew just as well as I did that I would run back here if there was any news, a lie or not.

"Kaname-kun! Kaname-kun! Something's happening!"

I turned back around to see him pointing into Yuuki's room with a shocked look on his face. "What happened?" Rushing to his side, I looked in and the rest was history.

"Yuuki put on her clothes by herself!"

My princess sat on the floor, her pajama pants on her head, her shirt wrapped around her little torso, and a fluffy white towel discarded around her legs. At the sound of my voice, she turned to look at Cross and then she caught my eyes. Her eyes widened again, and grabbed the white towel to flip it over her head to hide herself from me. As if that would protect her from these cursed fangs.

But, no matter what the reason for her distress, the sight was so funny that I could no longer hold in the laughter that struggled to escape my throat. And I was doubled over laughing like I had never laughed before, and I banged on the door to expend my happy energies even more. As my laughter faded away, I tried to straighten myself out. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye and let out my final chuckles. My face was flushed from laughing so hard.

"Ah, this isn't the time to laugh." I gave her my best smile. "Sorry I scared you. I'll leave now. Bye-bye."

With the remnants of my smile still on my face from the previous episode, I turned to head out of the door. Before I had taken five steps, I felt something pull on the back of my coat. Turning around, I looked down to meet my princess's smiling face.

"Kaname…Kana…me?" Her smile was so sweet, like a rose in full bloom, and something in my heart broke when she said my name that it took all of my willpower not to hug her fiercely. It felt like it melted at the sound of the most innocent angel from heaven.

Instead, I knelt on one knee and smiled at her as I placed my hand on top of her soft hair. "Yes, that's my name. Can you tell me yours?"

She blushed and cast her eyes to her feet. "Yuuki."

"That's a lovely name. Aren't you scared of me anymore?"

Her smile vanished and violently shook her head in denial. I put my hand on her cheek to stop her movement. I hoped my smile reflected my happiness this time. I was going to win, and there was no way that anyone could take away my happiness again. "Thank you." I whispered to her, but she was too young to understand what I meant.

"Why don't you stay awhile, Kaname-kun? I'm sure Yuuki would like that." The Chairman offered kindly. He tossed me a thin book my way. "This is Yuuki's favorite story. It's almost time for bed and she likes being read to."

Nostalgia filled me as I took her hand and led her to her bedroom. I drew away the covers and picked her up to tuck her in. There was a chair already in place for me and I sat down while Yuuki smiled shyly. The book was called _The Gentle Princess_ and I smiled at the title. No doubt the Chairman had written it especially for her. I began to read.

"'Once upon a time, there was a little princess named Yuuki…'"

The story ended happily ever after, the princess together with her knight in shining armor. By the time I got to the middle of the story, she had fallen asleep, but I kept reading, happy to spend the nostalgic moment with her. It felt like nothing had changed, except now everything had changed.

I brushed away some stray locks from her face and sighed before I got up from the chair. I put the book down on the bed stand beside her. I clicked off the lamp which plummeted the room into darkness, and any kind of darkness made me feel uneasy about leaving her alone.

"Chairman Cross, there isn't any danger of an attack, right?" My usually composed voice sounded small and weak, almost vulnerable enough to make me flinch.

He gave me a reassuring smile. "No, but it would be too foolish not to expect it."

It was dark outside and I knew I stayed for too long. "I must go. It's too late; my _guardian_ must be getting worried about my whereabouts." I had to spit out the words. They left a horrible aftertaste in my mouth.

His smile turned sarcastic. "They really don't know who they're messing with, do they?"

I returned his smile with a grim one. "I guess not, but it is better that way. I will have the element of surprise to my advantage."

"What are you going to tell them when you get back?"

That was a good question. "I had to meet someone very important." I opened the front door. Before stepping out, I turned my head to look at the amused chairman. "Keep her safe for me."

The cold air played with my hair and I inhaled deeply, still able to smell the sweetness that radiated from her skin. I walked back to Ichijou's mansion where everyone fussed over at my arrival, asking me fifty questions at once. To humor them, I smiled quietly and shook my head.

"Someone who I wanted to meet was in town. I had to catch him before he left."

Ichijou gave me a curious look but did not say anything to disprove what I had said. A maid took my coat and scarf, and Ichiou came to greet me in the ostentatious entrance hall. He had a disapproving expression that I ignored as I smiled.

"I hope you didn't wait for me to eat dinner."

He bowed. "Takuma said that you would be late. I wish you could have told me where you were going."

It was mildly surprising that my friend had covered for me, making it easier to cover my tracks. "I will remember that next time."

Ichiou looked at me as if he was expecting something else. "Ah, Ichiou, I forgot to ask what time the party will be."

This evidently was not what he was looking for. "It will be at seven in the evening." He abruptly turned on his heel and left, leaving me and Ichijou alone for the time being. I gazed at his retreating figure, knowing that he expected an apology, but he did not deserve my apology. I would never apologize.

"Where were you, Kaname? Grandpa was furious at me for letting you out of my sight." He said the last part with a strained grin.

"I had to meet someone."

He sighed with relief. "Oh, was that all? You looked so scared after reading the telegram that I thought something awful had happened."

"No, it was just that it was so unexpected it. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to see him before he left."

Perhaps it was the finality in my voice that did not provoke any more questions about my whereabouts. I climbed the large spiral staircase to go to my temporary room that I was using before I was able to get a place of my own. On the bed, several baskets of flowers and cards expressing their grief at the news of the deaths of my parents sat harmlessly. I read the cards and memorized the names so I could acknowledge their comfortless efforts at the party. The flowers were revolting; the carnations, chrysanthemums, violets, orchids, tulips, and marigolds all seemed to clash with each other. I threw them on the floor, scattering the petals and breaking the stems. I clutched my forehead and hissed through my teeth as I sat on the bed.

I lay back, not bothering to take off my clothes. The party would be a place for me to gain allies with mutual benefits, and I had to act my part. I closed my eyes. Did my father know how hard this was? This pretense of being indestructible? Yes, he probably knew. He had to deal with them, too: the Senate, the oblivious nobles, and the expectations. I could not complain since he had endured it for so much longer. All I wanted was to be with my princess and my parents, but why did this world make it so hard for me to gain happiness? Was this a punishment because I had unwittingly committed a horrendous crime? What would my father say to do? Mother had left me to take care of the princess, her real flesh and blood, before she died.

The day of the party, I dressed in a black suit before the clock could strike seven. I straightened the ribbon at my neck and glanced at my reflection in the tall mirror. How hideous. I was a monster just below this pale skin, and it was a wonder how anyone thought any different. Even Yuuki could not see for what I truly was. I let my bangs fall into place and stepped out of my room without a hurry. Ichijou was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. He dressed almost identically but he had a coat on and mine was in his arms. He held it out for me with a smile.

"It's cold outside."

I put it on and buttoned it, hardly feeling any warmer than when it was off. "Where is the party supposed to be?"

"Do you remember Aidou Hanabusa? His parents are having it at their manor."

Ichiou quickly glanced over us and nodded in slight satisfaction before donning a top hat and grabbing his cane. The car ride was silent, and I sat with my chin leaning against my hand as I stared out the window. I remembered Aidou Hanabusa. I had met him before Yuuki's birth, when my parents and I were invited to his family mansion. I can still recall the determination in his eyes when he told me that he hated me. I never blamed him though; maybe he could see the monster inside me.

We arrived a short while later, and someone opened my door for me. I stepped out into the night air, and I could see many people already inside, chattering with wine glasses held in their elegant hands. I felt Ichiou's hand on my shoulder and he gave me a slight push forward. I fought the violent urge to rip his hand off and burn my coat. At the door, Nobleman Aidou and his wife greeted our party of three, and the hall went dead silent when we stepped in. Then the whispers started. I felt like an animal in a cage shown for public display.

Many people introduced themselves, and most of them I recognized because they had sent me a well-wishing card or a gift. They were very surprised that I was able to thank them personally by name for the card or gift, and they looked highly flattered when I gave them a half-hearted smile. Of all the gazes that I felt upon me, there was one that stood out, and that was a boy my age with wild golden hair who stared at me with a mix of surprise, fright, confusion, and pity.

I locked onto his eyes and he quickly look away, but the slight reddening of his cheeks told me that he was aware of me. I went outside after two full hours of hearing the same greetings, the same introductions, and the same hollow words of sympathy. There was no one on the balcony outside, and I was able to breathe in fresh air, unpolluted by insincerity and disgusting pity.

I hear him approach me then. "My condolences." Aidou offered quietly, sadly.

"Ah, you've met my parents before." That was some comfort at least.

He did not meet my eyes again. "Yes, they were kind people…"

"Yes, they were very kind…" I whispered, pained by the memories again. Why did he have to mention them to me? Why did I have to think of them now? I glanced at him—he was still staring at his shoes—and I pushed myself away from the balcony's marble railing. "Are you done, Aidou-kun?" He looked up quickly but did not answer me. "Then, good-bye."

I walked past him and a mumble escaped his throat. "Um…" Turning back around, I saw his pained, concerned expression. "Is there…something else that's bothering you?"

I tried not to let my shock show through on my face. My voice grew quiet. "Why…do you think that?"

Aidou looked away from me again. "No…No reason."

Did he know something? Was he too perceptive? My eyes hardened. "I asked you…why?"

My cold, hostile tone seemed to scare him and he almost jumped. He clenched his fists and took a short intake of breath. "Your attitude…has changed."

My eyes relaxed. "I see. Is that all…?" In two quick steps, I crossed over and dipped my head to speak softly into his ear so that only he could hear it. "If you did know something, I thought that I might have had to kill you."

He tensed like a statue. I breathed out a mirthless chuckle. "Just kidding. That was a bad joke." But the threat was not lost to him. He was still the entire time I was next to him.

"Kaname-sama, there are some people who wish to pay their condolences." Ichiou interrupted our moment.

I coolly pulled back from Aidou. "Yes, I'll go in soon, Ichiou." I turned my back to him to follow my guardian inside.

"Kaname-sama!" I looked around and saw him with his eyes shut. "If you don't like it, then just say that you don't!"

He surprised me. "Why are you so—"

"Because! I know because I'm your friend."

I wished those words could comfort me, but he knew nothing. He could never know this kind of pain. "You said you hated me."

His voice became braver. "No! I just hated myself for not accepting that I liked you!" He clamped his hand over his mouth at the sudden outburst, and he reminded me of my princess then. I smiled before turning around to leave.

"Kaname-sama, I…I like you!"

His declaration was not as empty as the others, but knowing that I was the monster that I am, I could not accept it at all. They were merely words that expressed his loyalty to me, and I added him on my long list of allies I made that day.

* * *

_Notes: I think Kaname actually has the saddest history. This story explores the possiblities as to why he is the way he is now: cold, unrelenting, lonely, and lost. I hope I'm doing somewhat of a decent job at the least. Forgive me if I'm not. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Notes: I'm just updating as I finish these chapters. I think this is a first story that I'm updating without considering the amount of reviews I get. _

_Disclaimer: I do not known any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Three: _New Strategy_

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A whole year passed, and it was snowing outside again. My small manor felt too large for me, but I did not miss anyone's company but Yuuki's. Being away from Ichiou and Ichijou made me feel partly at liberty to do what I wished, but I knew he had secured eyes everywhere. Ichijou had to accompany me almost anywhere I went, though I managed to sneak out once or twice to my princess in the hope of seeing her.

It was all a game, but they were not playing by the rules. But, as long as they let my mind alone, my physical body could be restricted. My mind was my weapon, and they would soon see how dangerous it could be when used against them.

I lounged on a leather armchair with a copy of _Hamlet_ in my hands, almost suppressing a grin that came to my lips at the death of Polonius. He reminded me of someone else, but simply stabbing him with a sword would not do him the justice of the pain I suffered. I turned the page before a servant entered with a silver tray. There was a note on top of it.

"It came just now, Kaname-sama."

I opened the paper and scanned the words typed in print:

Kaname-kun, Yuuki has been kidnapped! You have to come and save her! – CK

I dropped the play on the circular, mahogany table, and went to the door. I grabbed my coat and flung it around my shoulders as I pulled the door open. I ran out, wondering again if it was a lie, but he never had to choice to doubt. I had to take care of her, to keep her safe from anything and everything. I hurried along the snowy slopes, hoping to the heavens that it was another one of the Chairman's tricks.

Relief relaxed my shoulders when I saw a little figure outside of the house, dressed in a cute pink outfit, waiting expectantly. I slowed down my walk into a casual stride, and my shoes made the powdery snow crunch with each step. My princess turned her head and her smile lit up the entire sky with its brilliance as she ran to me. Flinging herself at me, her little arms closed around my waist, and I caught her in a familiar hug.

"Kaname-sama!"

I almost dropped her at the shock of being addressed that way. "Kaname…sama?"

She was oblivious to my distress. Her smile became bigger and the light in her eyes became animated, just like they were before. "Today is Yuuki's birthday! It's been a year since Kaname-sama saved me!"

I saw the Chairman with his head out of the doorway and stare at the two of us with jealousy. I was still holding her when I addressed him. "Hearing that Yuuki had been kidnapped, I rushed over. Haven't you had enough? Can't you call me by normal methods?" Cross ducked back in the house.

The princess tugged on my arm. "So, today…Congratulations, Kaname-sama!" Her eyes shone with adoration, and my heart skipped a beat.

I smiled at her and smooth her silky hair. "No, that's not right, Yuuki. Today, it's congratulations to Yuuki." Pulling her gently to me, I smiled wistfully. "But, thank you…"

Cake was waiting for us inside, and we lit candles for her to blow out, which she did with eagerness. We clapped and she giggled out of embarrassment before she snuggled closer to my chest. Moments like these brought me back from my thirst for revenge yet strengthened it. She was the only thing that made me happy, and I was determined to make her happy.

I stayed with the Chairman and the princess, mostly listening to what Yuuki had discovered in her new life while occasionally informing them what I had been doing during the time I was away. Most of my time was spent calculating my assets and setting aside a trust fund in my name for Yuuki. If by some impossible chance that I was no longer alive, everything in my name would belong to her. I even wrote her a letter that was now secretly locked away in a false compartment in a drawer in my desk. It explained everything, from the fact that she was a Kuran to why she was in Chairman Cross's custody. The key to the drawer was locked in a bank vault that could only be accessed by a password that only the Chairman and I knew.

Her birthday passed by without incident, and I stayed to tuck her into bed. I sat by her until she fell fast asleep, at which time I got up to speak to Cross privately. I found him in his study.

"Chairman Cross." I said quietly, not wanting to chance my princess awake.

He looked up from a pile of papers and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He smiled ruefully. "I'm guessing you want to know what I wanted to say."

"If it isn't too much to ask."

He cleared his throat and leaned back into his large chair. He laced his fingers together and any hint of a smile disappeared. "Your parents were pacifists, as you know. They wanted to coexist peacefully with the humans, but such a dream comes at a high price. Vampires feed on human blood—without it, they cannot survive. Your parents were funding a secret project that was dedicated in finding a blood substitute, one that healthily replaced all of the nutrition that real blood provides." He reached down and slid open a drawer and pulled out a white, unmarked box. "This is the first prototype of their efforts."

He tossed them at me and I caught it, genuinely curious about what my parents created. The lid of the box opened with a click and little crimson tablets rattled inside. I held one delicately between my fingers, inspecting it. Cross had suddenly appeared next to me with a glass of water with a grim expression. He lightly shook the glass at me, silently inviting me to try it.

"Does it dissolve in the water?"

His expression did not fade. "Of course. The act of drinking blood is also important to a vampire."

I dropped in a tablet in the water and he held up two fingers, signaling me that I needed to put in another tablet. I did as he instructed. The tablets fizzed in the water, and the water turned into a dark shade of pink. Unwittingly, I made a face of disgust. "This is a blood substitute?"

Cross chuckled darkly. "It's the earliest form of the tablet so of course it isn't perfect."

I wrinkled my nose. "It has a revolting smell."

"That's exactly what your father said. He set the project on working on a better trial form; he knew the vampires would flatly reject his proposal if this was what they had to live on. They are still working on it even as we speak. Your father had such a talent of persuasion."

Trying to ignore the horrendous smell, I took a sip of the liquid and had to refrain from gagging. "It takes like soap water." I set the glass away from me.

The Chairman took the tablets from me and sighed. "Your uncle wasn't fond of their pacifist ideals. He thought that humans should be slaves to the vampire race instead. Your parents posed a major threat—they had the righteous reputation and their Pureblood status. He was going to lose, unless he took action."

"Despicable fool." I breathed.

"Indeed, especially when he decided to go for their daughter instead of you. He mistakenly believed that you were still at Ichijou's house." He looked away, the first time he broke eye contact with me, and I knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked tensely.

Cross sighed and met my eyes again, making me see the painful sincerity in them. "Kuran Rido is still alive."

I stared at him in disbelief as I tried to make sense of the short, simple sentence. "That's not possible. I killed him!" I growled with hostility as I slammed my hands on his desk, splintering the top under the force.

"Sources tell me otherwise. There were several people at the battlefield before the Senate came to investigate. His remains are gone, but something tells me that there is powerful magic involved." He looked frustrated. "We will have to keep an eye out for any news and do more research."

Sudden fear gripped me and I grasped the front of my shirt to keep myself from staggering. "If he is alive, then the truth of Yuuki's existence—"

"—will be revealed. I am very well aware of that. There is still time. Even with powerful magic to somehow bring him back to life, it will take years to complete. We must prepare for that day; there is no avoiding it."

I stared at the calm, composed face of Chairman Cross and felt myself relax. This was an unexpected hitch in my plans, but it could be overcome with careful planning. I must hold the trump card in the end. Now my tactics would have to change; now my revenge could be exacted on the very person who had ruined my family. The King was now Rido, and he had very limited movement on the board. I would have to use his own pieces against him to trap him. The competition just grew ten times more interesting, and I was glad for it.

"There was another thing that I have been meaning to ask you." Cross was back in his chair.

"What is it?" I asked stiffly, still dwelling on the shocking recent news of Rido's survival.

"This plan is still in its baby stages, but I wish to open up my academy to young vampires of your generation. I want to teach them the importance and the benefits of living peacefully with the humans, and it would make it easier for everyone if a Pureblood was there."

I pursed my lips. My father mentioned pacifism to me once or twice, but he avoided the subject when I tried to ask him. Certainly, even I would oppose coexistence if I had to live off of the grotesque blood tablets. "I will think about it. Please, let me know if more blood tablets have been developed. I will seriously consider it then."

He nodded in understanding but gave me a wary look. "Think about it carefully. Do you really want Yuuki to grow up in a human world always threatened by the vampire race? You might want to consider it—"

"Don't threaten me, Chairman Cross." I said softly, but his words hit their mark. If my princess was to live out her life as a human, was it not better for her to be protected by legislation or regulations, especially when her blood was abnormally sweet to a vampire's senses? And the only thing that could make those regulations was exposure to the first efforts of coexistence.

The Chairman's eyes were solemn as they inspected my face. "I want to protect her as much as you do."

I highly doubted that, but my instincts told me not to cross him and so I remained silent. The room was deathly quiet except for the quiet ticking of an ancient grandfather clock against the wall behind his desk. "No matter how influential I am, I won't be able to convince anyone to pacifism if _that_ is what they have to drink." I gestured airily to the abandoned glass of blood substitute.

The amusement returned to his blue eyes. "I'll have them work on it."

I nodded and smoothed out the front of my coat. "My watchers are probably panicking by now. It won't be good to keep them in that state for long."

Cross escorted me to the front door and I took my leave, my head whirling with different calculations. Rido had somehow survived our fight, and it would not be unreasonable to assume that Ichiou, a devoted Rido-supporter, would be one of the leading people trying to bring him back into power. My lips tried to pull back in a dour smile as I realized what they were attempting. It was true that I had destroyed his body, but with the proper rituals, it was not impossible for the soul to live on. Of course, the body would be almost unable to function, but even I did not fully know what kind of powers Rido possessed.

I would have to do more research, but in the meantime, I had to go back to Ichijou.

• ∞ •

More years passed like mere days and I was quickly walking down a busy street to meet my princess for her birthday. She was always afraid to be by herself; I knew that she could not forget that day in the snow, the vampire, and the terror. I had to get there before she could, but a Senate meeting had run longer than usual, and I cursed my luck once again. It was my princess's eleventh birthday, and I had promised her that we would spend the day together eating all kind of cake and ice cream, and I planned on spoiling her like my parents would have done on this day…if they were still alive.

I could smell her sweetness and I knew I was close. Then, another scent hit me. It was musky and dark, unmistakably a vampire's. I caught a glimpse of her shiny, dark auburn hair and then my eyes saw a tall figure walking towards her, his deep golden hair billowing every which way by the wind. His black sunglasses hid his eyes from me, and I took my place calmly, threateningly behind her, my face warning him not to approach. My arms itched to wrap a protective cage around her petite form, but I settled with a light hand on the middle of her back. The vampire stopped at a short distance from us, and he bowed at his waist, half mocking and half sincere. I chest burned to kill him right then and there, but Yuuki turned her face up to me, surprised and scared.

It was hard to miss the frightened look that still remained on her pretty face. I smiled unguardedly. "Yuuki."

Her face melted into an expression of relief and delight as she threw her arms around my neck tightly. "Kaname-sama!" She was so warm in my arms, and I marveled once again at how my name sounded so lovely to my own ears only when she said it.

When she let me go, I adjusted her coat. "Aren't you afraid walking on the streets alone?"

An innocent blush blossomed on her pale cheeks. "As long as Kaname-sama is here, I won't be scared."

_I would betray the world if only I could be with you forever by your side, my princess._ But, instead of speaking what was on my mind, I reached out and smoothed out her shiny locks. "Me too." I smiled again. My true smiles only came when I saw her.

Yuuki leaned into me and I still had my hand entangled in her tresses. I stroked her head, and a strange kind of sadness crept over me, and I found myself wondering what would happen if I never let her go away from my sight ever again from this day forward. My arms moved of their own accord around her, and I restrained the urge to hug her too tightly, remembering the danger in suffocating her.

"Yuuki, what do you want to do today?" I asked her quietly with her still in my embrace.

She looked up at me and smiled which almost stole my breath away. "Can we go eat cake now? I want to blow out candles."

I had to smile at her innocence. "Of course, it's Yuuki's birthday so you can choose whatever you want to do."

My princess honored me by holding my hand firmly while leading me to our favorite cake shop, and I had to keep her excitement in check before she fell on the ground from walking too fast. She occasionally turned back to glance at me and smile widely, and her actions never failed to put a smile on my face in return.

The shop was a little crowded but the baker noticed me and Yuuki as soon as we entered through the worn doors. He grinned at Yuuki as he waved at us eagerly to come to the counter. He stooped suddenly and came back up with a pretty white cake decorated with crimson strawberries and sweet chocolate. She gasped in surprise and looked up at me too, her eyes asking permission. I smiled and nodded at which she thanked the baker and took the cake from his hands. I helped her carry it to a vacant table by a large window. There were already two white plates and silverware waiting for us, and after she blew out imaginary candles—a ritual that was started years ago when the Chairman forgot them on her cake—we ate the cake. It was almost as sweet as she was.

"Yuuki, what do you want for your birthday present?" I asked her as she licked the cream off of her fork.

The blush crept back into her cheeks. "Spending the day like this with Kaname-sama is the best present."

Her warm sincerity made me almost ridiculously happy. "Being with Yuuki is always enough for me too."

I wondered how much longer her innocent naivety would last until she saw me for what I really was: a ruthless, blood-sucking vampire. Then I wondered what I would do when that time came.

* * *

_Notes: This one wasn't as interesting, I think. There's more Kaname x Yuuki fluff. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Notes: I went back and changed up Book One a little with the new information that I gathered from the long awaited chapter 36 of the manga. Most of the beginning had to be fixed. I'm OCD. I just had to fix it. I couldn't stand not having the right information. Here is Book Four._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Four: _Little Green Monster_

* * *

I stood in the Chairman's study again a few weeks after Yuuki's eleventh birthday. Cross wished to speak to me about the good news that he received just the day before. His eyes were alight with excitement but tried to maintain a calm voice. Another white, unmarked box was in my hands.

"Within the next two years, they think they can make an even more successful prototype of the tablet. The ones in your hand at least smell like authentic blood." The Chairman waved an animate hand from behind his desk at the small, round tablet pinched between my fingers.

I dropped two in the glass of water, watching it turn into a deep crimson liquid. I smirked. "The color is much better." I admitted.

I had already initiated the subtle, fragile talk of pacifism, the doctrine of my parents, but I still struggled with the ideas. However, with the development of the blood tablet, the new generation of the vampire race might have a chance at coexistence with humans. The majority of the Senate was in favor of joining forces with Cross Academy and tolerant of a test trial of the new education of coexistence. If the blood tablets could be perfected, then perhaps there was a true chance.

"The Cross Academy is making preparations as we speak with the courses, the dormitories, and the precautions. There are quite a few loose ends to tie up, but most of the plans are going according to plan." The Chairman looked almost expectantly at me.

I took a sip of the blood substitute. If blood was like wine to us, this was like drinking wine about to go bad. I grimaced but its taste was nowhere near as horrible as the first one I tasted years back. "It seems pretty obvious that I will have to attend also if this is all to occur. I couldn't simply sit back and watch untrained, young vampires strike out at my Yuuki."

"I'm glad we are eye to eye on this specific issue. I am aware that Yuuki's blood is very appealing to all vampires, and it will be hard for them to resist, especially when she will be acting as a guardian of the school. Her responsibilities—"

The glass in my hand shattered when I gripped it too hard out of anger. I kept my voice neutral, but the hostility was apparent. "No, it is too dangerous for her. Her risks of getting attacked are probably tripled. I will make sure to keep them in line—there will be no use for a guardian."

Cross shook his head. "I disagree, Kaname-kun. You will be busy with handling the Senate, and it will not be possible to keep all of them under your eye at all times. If you keep too strict of a control on them, no matter how loyal they are to a Pureblood, they will eventually grow too restless to obey."

"Then they will die." The words almost came out as a snarl.

"Then the pacifist doctrine will cease to exist even before its birth." His eyes of oceanic blue bore into mine.

I tried to calm my rash outward exterior. I clenched a fist and looked away, thinking hard. The cuts that I received from the broken shards of glass were already healing. I watched my skin slowly smooth over, perfect and without any hint of a scar.

I heard the Chairman sigh deeply. "Without her title as guardian, she will not be able to see you. It will be against the rules for the humans and vampires to fraternize with each other."

"Then I will see her on my own."

"But there is an important advantage in obeying the rules. You will be able to express your feelings without restraint, and the other vampires will know your claim on her, therefore making sure to stay away from her. They will know not to attack her in any circumstance—after all; it is only her blood that is sweet like honey. She will be a main target, but at least in this way, you can protect her from what can be preventable. Besides, if you broke the rules to be with her, how can you expect your subordinates to follow them?"

Silence inhabited the room with considerable presence. I saw the painful logic in his words, and in my selfishness, I saw the clear benefit of making her a guardian. I could see her whenever I wished, and maybe staying in the academy would be less burdensome if I got to see her everyday.

"I will add it to my list of things to consider." I said, angry at him for using the omnipotent Yuuki tactic and angry at me for falling into it again for the thousandth time.

"Good, that would be good. There's another order of business." He sighed a deep sigh again and stood, clasping his hands behind his back. "I'm sure you've heard, Kaname-kun. The Kiriyu family of hunters was slaughtered yesterday and the only survivor was one of their twin sons. He's still in custody of the Hunter's Association, but I plan to adopt him like how I adopted Yuuki."

I softened. "It is a tragedy indeed. Is there a problem with the adoption?"

He shook his head and smiled. "I just thought I'd give you a heads-up so you'll be able to prepare yourself."

Confused, I crossed my arms. "Prepare myself for what?"

"His grin grew comical. "The little green monster that resides in the heart of all creatures, of course. It won't be long before it attacks you."

I smiled coolly as I unfolded my arms and let them drop to my sides. "If he ever harms Yuuki, you will be one guardian short."

Chairman Cross stood up. "We plan to move into the academy soon after Zero comes to live with us."

"Zero? An interesting name. By then, I will be ready to go ahead and announce this coexistence project officially." I sounded professional. I glanced at the door of the study. "Where is Yuuki today?"

His face seemed to glow with affection at the sound of her name. His serious atmosphere all but disappeared. "My lovely Yuuki is going to cook dinner tonight! She's out getting the groceries. She said it's a surprise." He gushed with abundant enthusiasm.

My stomach twisted with jealousy. I had never eaten food made by my princess; it was usually the Chairman that did most of the cooking. Just then, I heard the front door open and shuffling of feet. "Chairman? Are you here? I'm back from the store!"

"I'm coming, my dear Yuuki!" He flounced away from his desk, his expression blissful as he went to help her with the groceries.

My mind whirled with an argument: should I just leave without telling her I was there or to walk out and join them in their festivities? Interestingly enough, I heard a little green monster growl before I could silence it as I made up my mind to do the first choice. Without another sound, I left through the window, gracefully jumping out and landing silently on my feet. It was for the best. I had many things to do before I could allow myself to see her again.

I walked back to the manor, and my intuition indicated that Ichijou would be waiting for me at my manor. He liked to drop by at random times to check in on me—probably at his grandfather's orders. When I got back, I handed my coat to a butler and went directly upstairs. I changed my shirt and I looked at myself as I buttoned it, feeling disgusted with myself as I looked at my deep crimson eyes. Everything about me seemed dark and stained, marred by the blood of countless people. I could see the bloodstains on the walls of my room, over the sheets on my bed, over the white carpet. I hoped Yuuki would never see what I saw, and I vowed that I would never awaken her vampire side if I could help it. I wanted her to live without the pressures of being a Pureblood, and never have to deal with the politics of foolish old men. I wanted her to be free.

My love.

My life.

"Did you go see Yuuki-chan again?"

My unfocused eyes were slow to refocus out of their daze, but they flickered to the doorway, looking at the intruder in the mirror. Ichijou was leaning against the doorframe of my room; I had forgotten to close it. I attempted a welcoming smile but wondered if it merely came out as a grimace. "Is it that obvious?"

I introduced my princess to my friend a year back because I believed it would be easier to explain my attachment to her. I never told him the details as to how we met and he never asked, but he knew that Yuuki was very special to me, even if he did not quite understand why.

"You're either very serious or very happy after you've gone to see her. This time you were serious. What were you thinking about?" He folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to one side. His smile tried to remain unguarded to encourage an answer.

He was very perceptive, but not creative. Ichijou always accepted the things as they were and never tried to refute them.

"I was thinking about the new boy that the Chairman is planning to adopt."

Ichijou looked surprised. "Don't tell me…the Kiriyu boy?"

"It's just me being overprotective again." I said, and the little green monster peeked out of its hiding place again.

He laughed. "Jealous?"

The answer was too obvious for me to even answer.

Within the period of three months, Chairman Cross sent me another telegram informing me that he had adopted the Kiriyu boy a week ago. I was outside the door of his apartment within the Cross Academy, and I was able to smell the peculiar stench of a sealing spell. It was freshly cast. I extended my finger and pressed the doorbell once. I heard light tapping of feet—my princess's footsteps—and the door clicked open.

"Kaname-sama." She greeted me with her usual smile, and I was glad to see that the new arrival of an adopted brother did not affect her in the slightest in her reactions to me.

I reached out and smoothed her hair like always, and carefully let my hand cup her soft face, making her blush but content. She held it in place against her cheek with a set of her own tiny hands. She gently pulled me inside, and I suddenly felt it—the stiffening glare of another unfamiliar presence in the room. Almost possessively, I stood very close to Yuuki and met the eyes of the new boy. I watched his gray orbs grow with shock and he abruptly rose from his chair, knocking it over in his haste.

The boy's heart rate sped up until it sounded like drums in my sensitive ears. I watched him carefully as he moved from behind the dinner table, and slowly take hold of a knife. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face as he froze for a second.

"Zero…" My princess murmured with confusion.

He was quick. He charged at me with the knife gripped in his hand, his burning eyes never averting away from mine as they glared at me with such an intense hatred that it seemed almost unnatural on a little boy. However, in his immature fury, he would not be able to stop even if anyone got in his way of his target. I could even recognize the way of the hunters in his coarse actions.

"No, Zero…!" Yuuki cried out in panic as she rushed forward as if she had the strength to stop him.

In a flash, I was in front of her just as he swung the knife blindly, and I felt the cool blade tip cut into the lower part of my palm.

"Vampire!" He shouted with deep loathing.

I felt Yuuki grab my arm. "Kaname-sama!"

"Slashing at me so suddenly…that wasn't very nice of you." I said while my head pounded with anger.

"Shut up, vampire! You smell just like 'that woman'!" He shouted.

"That woman?" A Pureblood? What else could it be? Purebloods had a distinct scent that set us apart from the rest. His accusation, though clearly meant as an insult, was intriguing. I kept speaking, partly as a means to calm Yuuki down. "So you are Kiriyu Zero? I heard about you. I'm sorry about your family, but I have no intention of getting killed by you today." I pulled the knife from his grasp and let it clatter to the floor.

His murderous intent ebbed away and he looked at the discarded knife, confusion and anger mixed in his gray eyes. His gray hair glinted in the light and his neck was bandaged heavily. He was bitten?

Chairman Cross put a comforting hand on Zero's shoulder. "You're mistaking him as the one to get revenge, Zero." Carefully, the blond man steered him away so that I was no longer in his line of sight.

It was my princess who brought me back to reality. "Kaname-same, blood…" Her voice was laced with worry and apology.

"It's nothing. It will heal soon. I am a vampire, remember?" I said reassuringly though I tugged down the sleeve of my coat to hide the healing wound from view. I looked at Zero's retreating figure. "And it's not me who is feeling the pain…"

This was true. The boy had lost his family and even his twin brother. He was like me in more ways than one, and I wondered if the rose of revenge would also take root in his heart. It seemed likely, but could he handle it? The sealing spell's smell was the strongest from the boy's neck, and it was very strange indeed. Why would he need a sealing spell cast on him? Not knowing the answer to the question made me uneasy, and I had a strong feeling that I did not want this boy around my princess.

Yuuki was too distracted by Zero's wellbeing that it was almost impossible to talk to her. To give her a peace of mind, I left early with my mood getting darker as I left her. I patted her head once more before leaving the Academy. When I glanced back at the door, she waved and looked apologetic, and all was forgiven. A black car was waiting at the gates for me and when I approached it, the door opened invitingly.

Ichijou smiled at me from the inside. "Welcome back, Kaname. You're back early. Are you done with your business?"

I got in and slammed the car door shut. I rested my elbow on the leather armrest. "No, I've decided to take care of it next time."

He had a worried look on his face. "Either way, I didn't think you'd come back hurt."

Surprised, I raised my eyebrows at him. He smiled sheepishly at me. "Blood. It's still on your wrist."

I looked at the spot of red on my lower palm, and I reverted back to seeing the abhorrence in his eyes. I licked my wound before Ichijou offered me a wet tissue. There was a pause as I wiped away the dried blood.

"I met the boy who survived that incident a while ago."

My friend's eyes flickered with recognition. "As I thought, Chairman Cross did take the Kiriyu boy in…Well, I guess it's natural." The boy was anything but natural; however, I remained quiet so he went on. "What…Are you jealous of him because he can stay by Yuuki's side all the time?"

His tone was teasing but the words pained me and made my heart ache in the familiar way. "I don't have time for that." I was trying to convince my fractured heart more than Ichijou. "I'll be busy soon."

It was the ugly truth. I had to make preparations for the huge Senate meeting where I was going to finally request a formal proposal for the education of pacifism. There would not be enough time to go visit my princess at the Academy since it was hours away from my manor now.

_I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon. I will see her soon._

The huge, elaborate room I faced was the Senate meeting house. Each row of seats were raised several feet higher than the previous one, and the red velvet covered chairs gleamed proudly behind each row of long continuous mahogany desks in the light from the crystalline chandelier above. People began to file into the room and sat according to their status in the vampire hierarchy—higher classes sat toward the front. Even within the nobles, family blood determined where one sat in the row.

I stood on the polished white marble floor, patiently waiting for everyone to take their seats. My guardian, Ichiou, stood and bowed to me, his face showing a clear sign of distrust and contempt. How I yearned to crush him.

"On behalf of the Senate, I welcome you, Kaname-sama. You have called us here at the request of a hearing. What is it that you wished to address the Senate, the Council of Ancients?"

Though he asked the question, he already knew what I wanted, and I relished making him displeased. I curtly inclined my head forward toward him and cleared my throat. "I wish for our race to take a step of good faith and try to coexist peacefully with the humans. My parents, Kuran Haruka and Kuran Juuri, wished for us to stop feeding off of human blood. We are like them in many ways, in their emotions and abilities to love, and feeding off of them is like feeding off of ourselves. There is an ongoing project that is developing a blood tablet, a dissolving tablet that turns water into a blood substitute that provides us with all of the nutrition that we gain from real blood.

"The Cross Academy, renown for its excellent education for the elite, is offering us a chance to educate the new generation the importance of coexistence and giving them the tools to follow through with this ideal of pacifism. I would like the Senate to now consider Cross Academy's proposal. If we accept, it will enable us a chance to see if coexistence is even possible. Think of it as a trial run; if it is not successful, then we move on and any more talk of pacifism will simply disappear."

My last word hung in the air, suspended, before the Senate house was filled with whispers and low murmurs. I was not surprised when Ichiou stood up. "Kaname-sama, I respect that you wish to go along with the ideals of your late parents, but what you ask of us is simply impossible. It is impossible to change our natures, we live on human blood. You cannot possibly think that a few educational courses and these…blood tablets"—he spat out the words—"will change our way of life."

I wanted to smile and so I did. "In fact, that is indeed what I think, Ichiou." Addressing him by name clearly defined my superiority of both blood and status, and his frown deepened in response. "If these blood tablets are successful, then there is no need to take precious lives anymore. Why take the lives of people who have families and lovers like we do? However, I am not asking the Council to suddenly agree to change our lifestyle today. As I said earlier, this is an experiment to see if we are capable of living in coexistence. I am merely asking the Senate for a chance."

Again, the murmurs broke out, and I saw many nodding of heads while Ichiou and a small number of others remained still as statues. In this Council, majority ruled, and the consenting majority saw me as the fake me, the kind, compassionate Kuran Kaname. This image, though I detested it, still had a useful purpose.

Slowly, Ichiou stood up. "All those in favor of accepting Kaname-sama's proposal, please raise your hand."

Many lifted their hands and it was a clear majority. I restrained my smirk of victory. Things were fitting perfectly within my plans. I was getting closer to checkmate while my King was safely protected by the flanks of loyal allies.

* * *

_Notes: It's subtle, but Kaname never refers to his manor as "home." He seems like a very deliberate character, and I'm trying to be deliberate in what I have him say and do. Vampire Knight is getting insanely intense. Matsuri Hino is a genius._


	5. Chapter 5

_Notes: A shout out to Mizuki23 and Hikari Adams. You two make me write more. Your reviews are so awesome, I could cry. Thanks so much. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

* * *

Book Five: _New Generation_

* * *

The meeting was adjourned, and people soon surrounded me at all sides, pressing forward to shake my hand and congratulate me. Their flattery was lost on me; I forgot their words as soon as they stopped speaking, but I nodded and murmured a vague response. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ichiou stand to leave, and he stared at me with deep distaste before whirling on his heel, his black cloak flaring out behind him. It was one of the few times I had seen him lose composure. How childish.

Then I noticed that someone to my right was speaking amicably. "Kaname-sama, we must celebrate such a monumental decision made by the Council. We will have dinner at our manor, at seven o'clock and I would be honored if you would attend. After all, it was your proposal that made this possible." A noble said with a bow and a smile.

I had to disguise my look of disgust and annoyance. Who were they to celebrate my victory? They were so arrogant, taking the credit as if it had always been their idea in the first place. But this was not the time for pettiness; allies, no matter how foolish, were important to keep. Each of them did have influential connections more intimate than mine, and I needed access to as many as I could have.

I tried to smile and nodded. "It would be a pleasure."

Ichijou was waiting outside with his back leaning against the black exterior of the car. I remembered that he was not allowed to attend the Senate meetings because he was not of age yet. I quickly walked to the car and he gave me his best smile.

"Back to the house or do you need to visit Yuuki?"

I slipped into the car after he had opened the door. "The manor. I need to inform Chairman Cross about the Council's decision."

He looked at me perplexedly. "Why not go straight to the Academy?"

"I have a dinner appointment that I need to attend. I will see her tomorrow."

The car started and drove, leaving the wretched Senate house behind it. I watched uninterestedly at the flashing scenes outside of the window, and Ichijou did his best to be quiet. I did want to see my princess now, and I knew that I would much rather enjoy my evening spent in her presence rather than in the company of self-congratulatory fools. However, it had to be done. I wanted to secure her safety and make sure that I could eliminate all of the threats that hunted for her.

Ichijou opened the door to the manor and took my coat. He hung it on a fancy peg and turned to meet my gaze. "I'll wait for you. Go attend to your business."

I went to my room and sent a telegram that informed the Chairman of the successful proposal. I changed into a different shirt and tie before going back down the stairs where Ichijou was waiting. He was inspecting his favorite painting of my family. There was no Yuuki in it.

My father and mother sat side by side on an elegant marble bench and a two-year old me sat on my mother's lap. It was strange to see my smile look so carefree, but this was painted before I knew the realities of what my life was to be. My father had a small smile on his face with one arm around my mother and the other one holding my hand while my mother beamed, and she seemed to light up the entire painting. Yuuki resembled her.

"You look so innocent. Your smile reminds me of someone else's though." His expression turned pensive.

Before he could arrive at a deadly conclusion, I interrupted him. "It's almost time for the dinner. I don't want to be late." Things could get more complicated if Ichijou drew the correct connections, and I wanted to reserve any killing for after everything in my plan had unfolded.

He looked at his watch and hurriedly grabbed my coat and tossed it to me. "Grandpa will kill me if you're late."

I wondered if Ichiou would even be in attendance, but he surprised me by being among the other nobles. He caught my eyes and bowed. The people to whom he was talking mimicked his actions when they saw me. I nodded to them in return. The desire to see Yuuki grew stronger with each passing moment.

"I call for a toast." Kain Raidon said in a rich, tenor voice. "To Kuran Kaname-sama and his remembered parents. We serve you."

There was a tinkling of wine glasses at the toast. Kain Raidon soon made his way toward me with another younger man close behind him. They both bowed at their waist.

"This is my son, Akatsuki. I have asked him to attend Cross Academy, and he has agreed. Though he is lacking, please accept him. I can't seem to find my nephew Hanabusa yet, but I am sure he is going to attend as well."

I looked at his son. Kain Akatsuki had wild, disheveled, dark blond hair, almost tinted with red, and he stood a little taller than me. His amber eyes held respect but they were not fearful even when I failed to smile. He stood still without speaking, and his father soon left the two of us to be alone.

"You look like you don't want to be here, Kaname-sama." His voice, low and smooth, was almost identical to his father's. He smirked easily and his stance was casual with his hands in the pockets of his pants. His shirt, though tidy, was unbuttoned, giving him a carefree attitude.

At his wry, amused comment, I succeeded in smiling. "Nor do you." His straightforward, relaxed personality appealed to me.

Kain turned his head and looked to his right, his eyes searching, until he seemed to have found his target. "Kaname-sama, I believe you have met Aidou Hanabusa already."

As if on cue, Aidou weaved through the crowd and bowed. His bluish gray eyes were different from Kain's—they were still scared at the sight of me. "Kaname-sama, it's nice to see you again."

I smiled quietly. "Yes, our encounter last time was cut short by Ichiou." I watched his face carefully, and to my surprise, the fear in his eyes vanished. Instead, they looked pleased and content.

"I meant what I said that day. I am your friend." Aidou grinned and patted Kain's taller shoulder. "And so is he."

"We serve the Kuran family, and you are the last one remaining. It is our duty to be by your side." Kain murmured.

How wrong they were. There were two more Kurans that existed in our world, but they were locked away in secret.

As the dinner party went on, the two of them grew more comfortable around me, perhaps already used to my usual brooding silence. The doorbell suddenly chimed and the door opened to reveal a very beautiful family, the Souen family of vampires. The hall hushed as Souen Ayama, the matriarch, gracefully stepped toward me in her flowing dress. She executed a beautiful, perfect curtsey and extended a delicate hand.

"Kaname-sama, how rude of me to come so late. I hope you will forgive me."

I took her fingers and kissed the back of her hand. "Souen-san, welcome. I hope you have been well."

She had an air of grace but also a hint of carelessness that I never liked. She smiled at me as she stepped aside to reveal two daughters. I recognized the older one as Ruka and the younger one as Risa. They also curtseyed to me and I inclined my head forward in a polite nod and somewhere behind me, someone's heartbeats became quicker.

"My eldest, Ruka, will be attending your academy. Please take good care of her. She still has a lot to learn." Her seductive voice dipped lower, and I wondered what meaning she had hidden in those words. Ruka blushed faintly and curtseyed again, but I was disinterested.

The party became alive again.

Akatsuki stood beside me, and I could still hear the fast beats of his heart, and I looked and saw that his eyes were focused on Souen Ruka. She was talking to another girl her age, one who I knew as Touya Rima. She was a famous model recognized even in the human world. Then another young man came out of the crowd to stand next to Rima, handing her a glass filled half way with red wine. I could smell it in his blood, the faint traces of the Pureblood.

"Who is that boy next to Touya Rima?"

Aidou followed my gaze. "Shiki Senri. He works with her as a model. He got signed just last year. His mother is the famous actress, widely popular among the humans before she had Senri."

His last name was Shiki. "Who is his father?"

Kain shrugged. "No one knows. Only his mother knows the truth. His great uncle, Shiki Hiroshi, is in the inner workings of the Senate." His voice grew cold when he mentioned the uncle but regained his casual enthusiasm again. "But Senri is different than his family. He loves only his mother, and he isn't on very good terms with his great uncle as far as I know."

Shiki caught my eye first and leaned down to whisper into Rima's ear before she looked in my direction. They both nodded at me and smiled a little.

The evening passed well into the night, as the night was considered our time of day, and I met most of the student vampires that were to attend the academy in the coming fall. I was satisfied because their parents wanted to have better connections with the only Kuran alive, and this would give me a good number of students to train for the first year. But this meant more vampires to keep under control. If I let something slip, all talk of pacifism would end.

I rode home with Ichijou after saying good bye to Kain and Aidou. They were the closest things to friends in my world. However, in this world of mine, no one was a friend; they were either ally or enemy. As for Aidou and Kain, I needed to keep their families close. They were the forerunners as opponents of the Senior Council which consisted of a triumvirate of Rido supporters that ruled over the rest of the Senate. I knew these families would help me in the inevitable future, when things would have to be decided for the last time.

It was the early hours of the morning, when it was still dark, and the car drove through the street lit by the occasional gas lamp. I saw something flickering in the shadows and then I could hear sounds of a fight. People were yelling, and there was breaking of glass and scuffling of bodies.

"Stop the car." I said suddenly as I sat up straight in my seat.

The automobile screeched to a halt and I ran out of it toward the place where the fight was occurring. I could smell blood, both human and vampire, and I felt it was my duty to stop it. I had to save them. The sound of my footsteps echoed loudly on the cobblestone alley, and I could see a dark shadow in the distance. The sounds gradually slipped away, melting with the seconds of time.

I was too late. Bodies were strewn everywhere, necks viciously cut open, and they reeked of misfortune. There was a lone light bulb that swung pathetically from what used to be an alley light, and its rays fell upon a young vampire girl staggering to hold her body upright. She was clutching a bloody arm as one man raised a metal pole to strike. With considerable force, I knocked him away with the back of my hand, and he crumpled to the ground. She tried to glare at me with her icy blue eyes as she breathed laboriously.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently as I stepped closer.

She bared her fangs at me and shrank further against the wall. "I'll kill you if you touch me."

Ignoring her request, I closed the distance between us before she could react and scooped her up in my arms. She struggled feebly at first but soon gave up, her body too tired to respond anymore. "Did you do this?"

"They attacked me first. It was self-defense." She growled angrily. She winced.

"It will be alright. Let's get you somewhere safe." I turned back down the alley, her weight almost featherlike in my arms. By the time I was on the street, she had fainted.

Ichijou was anxiously waiting at the car and when he saw me, he cried out in relief. "You scared me, Kaname. Who is that?"

"Humans attacked her and she's badly wounded. There were many of them, perhaps a mob. They probably found out what she was and tried a safety-in-numbers tactic."

I laid her on the seat and took of my coat to drape it over her tattered body. Ichijou looked at her with pity. "Who do you think she is? What was she doing in this place alone?"

Her white blond hair was dirty and unkempt, her face was bruised and scratched, and her mouth was tainted with blood. She seemed to have fought tooth and nail in the most literal sense. We sped to the manor, and I carried the girl to a spare room where I gently put her down on the bed. Ichijou got me a bowl full of warm water and a cloth so that I could wipe away the blood on her face and cleanse her wounds. Her clothes, ripped and shredded in the battle, poorly covered her body and I had a maid simply discard them after she dressed her in a clean nightgown.

She slept for the remainder of the day and partly through the night. I was in my study with some documents when a maid knocked. Shuffling the paper away, I looked up from behind my desk. "Come in."

She bowed. "Your guest had awoken."

"Good. Did she eat anything?" I stood up and locked the papers in my drawers.

"She is thirsty, Kaname-sama."

I expected as much. I took some blood tablets from another drawer and went up the stairs to her room. I knocked and carefully opened the door. She sat in the bed and she stiffened when I entered. I dropped two tablets in the glass of water on her bedside table, and when they dissolved, I handed it to her.

"Drink."

With trembling hands, she accepted the drink and deeply drank. She never once raised her eyes to me. I took the empty glass and set it down. "What is your name?"

"Seiren, my lord."

"Where do you come from?"

She looked hesitant. "I am a noble by blood, but I ran away from my house a long time ago. I had been living amongst the humans for some time now, and they found me out when I drank the blood of a drunken man." She humbly bowed to me. "I am in your debt forever, Kaname-sama."

I smiled in surprise. "How do you know my name?"

Her eyes looked sad and her lips curved minutely into the biggest smile she could make. "No vampire can exist without knowing Kuran Kaname-sama. I humbly apologize for not recognizing you last night."

I waved away the apology. "Seiren is not your real name, is it?"

She shook her head. "No, but it is my name now. I will never go back to my family. I wish to serve you for the rest of my inadequate life."

"You are strong, taking on such a huge mob of humans even weakened by thirst. I admire that." I extended a hand. "I would be honored if you served me. There are many things that I have to do. Will you help me?"

She touched my hand, her eyes wide with wonder, before retracting it to her chest. "Anything you ask, my lord."

Her loyalty was almost tangible and I knew that I could trust her. Something deep inside of me told me that her vow was the deepest vow she could ever make to anyone. After all, she owed her life to me. I gave her a place to stay in my manor—she adamantly refused all of the spare rooms on the same floor as my room—and she became my spy and guardian. She was unnaturally lithe and quiet for even a vampire, and her speed was unrivalled to anything I had seen. She became useful when I needed to know where Ichiou went or with whom he met in his mansion.

Seiren became vitally important to my work and I decided to enroll her in Cross Academy so that she could keep an eye on the others.

"Will that be okay? The humans there will have no ability to attack you." I said when we sat down for dinner. She seemed uncertain. "It will be alright. If worst comes to worst, I will protect you."

She raised her head in shock. "No, Kaname-sama! That's not what I meant. Of course I will go. I will go where you go."

I smiled albeit a little touched by her words. "Thank you, Seiren."

Finding Seiren had delayed my seeing my princess, but I had gotten a crucial ally. Now, I had the ability to predict my opponents' next moves with this new double agent. However, I did miss my Yuuki, and the Chairman sent word to come by the Academy in the evening.

I was outside of the door when I heard the Kiriyu boy drop something. "What are you planning on doing, letting those creatures in this school…?" He said in shock and disgust.

"Chairman…?" I heard my princess murmur.

I turned the doorknob and entered the room. "It is for the purpose of peaceful coexistence of the vampire race and humans and the education of young vampires to be…" I searched for the word, "moderate."

Chairman Cross grinned at me, happy to see the one who had successfully made his dreams come true. "Kaname-kun, you've come."

"I just came in. Good evening, Yuuki."

"Kuran Kaname…" The boy breathed. Again his eyes flashed intensely with anger and he quickly ran to the Chairman, grabbing onto his shawl. "This is ridiculous! It's impossible that vampires are really going to live together with humans! How many times has their bloody history been covered up…!"

The atmosphere grew cold and determined. "I want to end it. I lost someone precious to me just like Kiriyu-kun."

But the boy would not be stopped. "No! Just because of that, you think you have the right to let the beasts in among the flock of sheep?

Yuuki piped up. "There's Zero's issue. But have you already decided, Chairman?"

I hated how my princess defended this impudent boy. I frowned, and the Chairman continued. "You two have nothing to worry about. He…Kaname-kun will be in the Night class, so the other vampires will be obedient. It is thanks to him that many have decided to come."

I coolly met the boy's eyes, staring into those pools of silver filled with mistrust and repulsion. I felt like he could see the monster beneath the surface. "But…if he betrays, that's the end."

He was right, but I would never betray my princess. I watched him turn around and go into another room.

"Zero…" Yuuki said, stunned at his vengeful words. She looked at me and the Chairman. "I'll go see to him."

If I did not have something to discuss with the Chairman in private, I would have never let her go comfort the boy. Never. I hated my selfishness and I hated my raging jealousy, but she was mine and only mine. I pressed my cool hand against my forehead to calm myself, but all I could see was her worried eyes meant for the Kiriyu boy and not for me.

* * *

_Notes: Finally, Kaname meets all of the main Night class characters. Have you noticed? Kaname isn't a big fan of Zero as portrayed by how he always refers to Zero as "the boy" or "the Kiriyu boy." I think Kaname can be hilarious sometimes...but that might be just me. I made the whole Seiren thing up because I felt like it was the only way I could really make her as unswervingly loyal to him as she is in the manga. Why else would Seiren be Kaname's spy when he obviously mistrusts everyone else? I personally don't really like that scene, so if you have another idea that I can use, maybe I'll go back and change it. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Notes: Thank you for the reviews. Dedicated to both Mizuki23 and Hikari Adams. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

* * *

Book Six: _First Night_

* * *

I stared after my princess who ran from the room after the Kiriyu boy, and my black heart shriveled at the sight of her retreating back. Tearing my eyes away from the spot where she disappeared into the next room, I went to the coffee table where a book had fallen and picked it up, hoping that it would distract me from this constricting pain.

"Kaname-kun, I'm really happy that you've agree to my pacifism…your parents' pacifism." The Chairman said quietly. His sincerity was true.

I flipped through the book absently as I felt the pain recede into a tiny hole in the center of my chest. "Yes, I do wish it would come true. I'm also under restriction and not at liberty so I want someone who can be my free body." I meant him, the Chairman. Without the watchful eyes of Ichiou, he could do much of the work under the pretense of pacifism.

"There's one thing that I'm concerned about…" He said with uncertainty.

I put the book down and faced him fully so that he could see my relaxed confidence. "There's no need to worry. I will play the role of queen bee for sure."

He visibly loosened up and went over to the desk to pour some tea. "Cross Academy will be split into the Day class and the Night class, where the Day class students will stay in the Sun dorms and the vampire students will stay in the Moon dorms. At twilight, the Night class students will transfer into the academics section of the school while the Day class will return to their dorms for the night.

"There will be strict rules in place: there will be as little contact as possible between the Day and Night classes, and all students who break this rule will be reported directly to me. However, we must take another step of precautions. Vampires are a very beautiful race, and if seen, will cause a riot among the Day class students to get to know you all. Yuuki and Zero, as guardians of the school, will try to keep them in place." He chuckled. "I think Zero would do an especially good job with this."

I smiled. "So, I will get to see her everyday?"

He nodded, returning my smile. "Every day."

"That is enough."

Yuuki came back from the room, her face dejected and disappointed. I slowly clenched my fist to fight the urge to kill the boy who had dared to make my princess unhappy. If I could only break his feeble neck. To sate my secret wrath, I opened my arms and invited her in. She ran to me as she usually did, and the pain in my chest left me at her embrace. "What's wrong, Yuuki?"

She buried her face into my coat and shook her head. "It's nothing, Kaname-sama."

"Try not to worry about it." My princess looked up and smiled at me. "Just be happy, and I will be here if you ever need anything."

Her arms tightened around me. "Kaname-sama looks lonely sometimes too. You have Yuuki."

I ran my fingers through her silky hair. "Yes, I know, thank you, Yuuki."

I saw her to bed before returning to the manor. Seiren bowed me into my study. "How is Yuuki-sama?"

"She is perfect." I said with a smile. I sat down on my leather chair and picked up a quill pen and pulled out sheets of paper, and I began to write out an admission letter to all of the students who were going to attend in the coming spring.

_We humbly thank you for deciding to attend Cross Academy as we learn how to better take care of our future. All of incoming students will be enrolling as Night class students separate from the human Day class. The purpose of Cross Academy is to put the doctrine of pacifism to the test. We wish to coexist together peacefully and put an end to the millennia of unnecessary bloodshed. However, this is still a tentative experience. Therefore, in order to make this experience as successful as we can, there are crucial guidelines that we all must follow. These are outlined below:_

_1. All Night class students are prohibited from disclosing the truth of our race to the Day class. _

_2. Drinking human blood is prohibited in all circumstances._

_3. Fighting is prohibited in all circumstances._

_4. All Night class students will not, under any circumstances, interact with the Day class students unless in the presence of the designated school prefects, Cross Yuuki and Kiriyu Zero._

_5. Any disregard of these regulations will be severely punished and may result in expulsion. _

_Aside from these ground rules, students are welcome and encouraged to bring personal belongings for their dorm rooms. Room assignments will be given out and measurements for class uniforms will be taken on the first night of school. The Academy will have full time professors to provide the best education possible, and therefore, students are expected to do their best in class. We hope this experience will shape a brighter, less bloody future for all of us—vampires and humans alike. _

_Sincerely,_

_Kuran Kaname, Night Class President_

_Cross Kaien, Cross Academy Chairman_

All of the copies were folded and sealed with red wax with the imprint of the Kuran crest. I requested that the letters be delivered as soon as possible. Things were starting to take flight; it was only a matter of time before everything unraveled down to its proper place.

• ∞ •

The spring came without another thought, bringing the new budding trees and the lush green of the grass. The days were becoming longer, and the earth seemed like it was beginning again. The impending first night of school drew near, so close that I could hardly sleep; finally, I was going to be able to see my princess everyday and personally watch over her so that no harm came to her. Maybe then, my anxiety would leave me to rest in peace.

When the first night of school came, a week earlier than when the Day class began, I dressed in a black shirt and dark pants with a light coat to keep away the nightly chill of the spring. Things were packed to go, but my heart was already at the academy with Yuuki, whether or not she knew. I drove to Cross Academy with Ichijou and Seiren beside me as the sun set just beyond my reach. Ichijou was particularly excited to get away from his grandfather, and his excitement could hardly be contained especially when he found out that Ichiou was busy with a Senior Council meeting to make the drive with us. Beautiful sakura blossoms swirled past the window and their pink color reminded me of the innocence of my princess.

The sky grew darker as we drove past a barrier wall with solid oak double gate doors with an arch of intricate black iron design. The Moon dormitory building was an unused lodging that had been built for the teachers and staff which was remodeled and refitted for the Night class, and it was completely encircled by a tall brick wall with the gate in the center. It was perfect. It hid the dorms completely out of the view with the only visible things being the treetops of the dense forest that surrounded it. It was closed because last minute preparations were being made to them and for the first day, we would be staying in the Sun dorms—the Day class dorms that were empty for the first week.

Several other cars were parked outside of the main gate to the Sun dormitory. It seemed that some had gotten there early. Our party of three walked to the building, and I was satisfied at everything seemed to be going. The entrance hall was furnished with beautiful leather couches and a large, rectangular mahogany coffee table for guests to the left while a grand staircase stood to the right side of where we entered. There were varying sizes of luggage on the floor and I saw many familiar faces awaiting further instructions.

My eyes swept the room. "I apologize for being late. I didn't realize everyone would be so excited to attend." I said with a smile and my words made some of them chuckle. I pulled out a small envelope out of the inside pocket of my coat and opened it. "I am Kuran Kaname, your class president, and this is Ichijou Takuma, the vice-president. I have the room assignments here so that you all can get settled into your new homes. At ten o'clock, all students will meet in a big lecture hall upstairs to the right, and we will discuss many important things at this meeting. Right now, I must leave you and meet with the chairman of Cross Academy."

I handed the room assignments to Ichijou, and with a last nod at the guests, I went outside to walk to the main academy building past the gates. The stroll was calming enough, and I partly wondered if Yuuki would start her prefect duties on the first night. I hoped that the responsibilities would not take a drastic toll on her, but it meant that she would be more nocturnal. I almost smiled at the irony.

The halls were empty and the steady sound of my footsteps echoed loudly as I made my way to the double doors of Chairman Cross's study. With the back of my knuckles, I quietly knocked before waiting until the doors were opened to invite me in. I heard movement from the inside—shuffling of papers, creaking of a chair—and the door clicked open to reveal the man whom I was seeking.

"Kaname-kun, I hope everything is well." Cross said with a bright smile. His eyes glimmered with excitement of a two-year-old.

I nodded. "They should be meeting in the lecture hall soon. I will address all of them tomorrow night as a whole. For now, they can rest and answer that one thousand question survey that you created." I smiled a little teasingly.

"It's to ensure that we keep as safe as possible. There are several indicators that might help us keep an eye on the ones who are the weakest in discipline and self-control. You, of course, would score one of the highest."

There were dangerous times when my control almost escaped from my grasp, and all of them were when Yuuki displayed the most vulnerability. I shook the thoughts away. "And Yuuki?"

"She should be in bed. There is no need for the prefects yet until the Day class finds out about the Night class. We'll keep it on the down low as much as possible, but teenagers these days gossip like wildfire." He said with a tone of exasperation.

"You wanted to show me something." I reminded him as I sat down.

The Chairman nodded vigorously, the light of excitement back in his eyes. "It's something to keep the secret safe." He pulled out an elegant ring of silver keys which jingled as he unlocked a drawer. He retrieved a small crystal bottle that contained a strange sparkling liquid. "This is a tonic that clears memories. If anyone accidentally finds out about the secret, all we have to do is put a drop of this in their tongue and create a false memory instead."

Intrigued, I stepped forward to examine it. "These are rare."

"So, we must keep people from finding about the Night class as much as possible. It'll be difficult to get another bottle." He joked. "As for the blood tablets, it seems like they're close to another trial form. I will have it for you as soon as they come in. But for now, I've put the ones I have in everyone's rooms."

I was glad for the many backup plans that he had prepared; he was taking this seriously, and I was impressed by his amount of dedication. We went to discuss the intricate problems of what to do in case of an emergency, the excuses that would be used to explain our particular nocturnal preference, and the various punishments that would be implemented for rule breakers. There was much to discuss, and by the time we had finished with the ground works of the process, it was past midnight.

The clock had chimed twelve times and I stood to go; I could feel his body getting weary even though he was still animatedly talking. Picking up my coat that I had draped over a chair, I slipped it on before he could protest. "I will see you again tomorrow. Until then, Chairman Cross."

Cross stifled a yawn and stretched his arms in the air. "You'll see Yuuki tomorrow, too."

"I know." I said with a smile.

He walked me to the front doors of the academy building where we parted ways—he went down the hall again to the spacious apartment located in a separate wing. Left on my own, I started my way back to the Night class dormitories, my vampire vision perfectly content with the darkness that had settled in the forest. It was certainly more beautiful at night. The moonlight shimmered subtly against the silvery green leaves, and the chill had descended into the grass, forming cold dew that glittered like tiny pearls among the sea of green. Humans only saw the forest in the day and usually the brilliance of the sun overshadowed the beauty of nature.

I glanced once at the unopened double gates that led to the Moon dorm where all of the Night class would soon be moving to. However, I turned back around and faced the Sun dorms, fully ready to take on whatever twist Fate decided to hand me. The front door opened silently and the relaxing air of the night was suddenly broken by a sight that almost made my heart stop and beat time backwards.

My princess had fallen asleep on the steps of the main staircase, her face ivory and vulnerable to anyone who came across her sleeping form, and a student was reaching out for her with his dirty, worthless hand. My vocal cords unfroze, and I stepped forward loudly to distract him.

No one could touch my princess.

Ever.

"I guess you don't know the rules of the Night class yet…" I said quietly but it rang with enough venom. My warning tone was clear. He looked at me with half sheepish eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just remembered." He said, dropping his arm at his side. I almost leered at his idiocy. He went up the stairs past my sleeping beauty, and turned his back to avoid my cold gaze. "I still have that survey to do, so I'll go back to my room now."

After he was completely out of my sight, I lessened the tension in my shoulders and I strode by my princess who slept as peacefully as a little babe. I released an inaudible sigh of relief and exasperation and slid off my coat.

"You are being too defenseless…" I whispered as I lay the coat over her petite body. She did not understand the dangers of being alone in the Night class dorms or the dangers of being around us while she was still human. If he had bitten her…I shuddered to think what I would have done.

I sat down on the step next to her, silently in awe at her beautiful smooth skin. My hungry eyes were attracted to her neck where I could see the pulsing artery that pumped her nectar-like blood throughout her body. Without much thought, I leaned down, my body wondering what it would taste like, wondering what my life would become if I cursed her once more into being a vampire princess. With a surprisingly steady hand, I carefully brushed away the loose strands of her hair away from her face and neck, fully exposing her ultimate vulnerability to me. My mouth, like a helpless magnet, descended down and parted open, revealing my sharp, poisonous teeth. Her scent almost intoxicated me and the desire to bit her bloomed in my chest, and it was agonizing to restrain it.

I couldn't. I would be committing the greatest folly. I would be ruining any chance of pacifism, any chance for my parents' wishes to come true. I would ruin her life, and I did not have the courage to live with such a fact. In the end, it was my cowardice that prevented me from making her mine again.

Picking her up without disturbing her slumber, I carried her up the stairs. _In my dreams. _I went into my temporary room and lay her down on my bed and kept the coat over her to keep her warm. If I tried to tuck her in, I was afraid that she would wake up. Carefully, I sat down on the bed and slowly, ever so slowly, lay down next to her, wrapping one arm around her to cradle her gently against my chest. She was warm against me, and I could feel all of my body and soul melt into her, and my heart was satisfied. But not my thirst. She still looked so fragile, so breakable, that it was hard to watch her sleep so comfortably. With each breath I took, her sweet scent made me lightheaded as if I drank too much wine, and I realized how dangerous _she_ was to _me._

"What a cruel, cruel thing you do to me, my princess." I whispered into her ear before getting up. My chest constricted with desire and loneliness.

I had not wanted to resort to this, but I had to. I had to in order to keep her from coming back to the dorms alone in the future and to keep my own, weak self in complete control when I was in her presence. There was a common room that was the room before mine. It was filled with furniture that was covered with white cloth, and I asked Seiren to bring Souen Ruka there. I sat on a large window seat that was directly across the door to my room that I carefully, purposefully left ajar.

Ruka peeked into the common room, nervous but blushing. She saw me past the covered furniture, and made her way toward me, her gait falsely meek. I stood up and extended my hand toward her, which she took without hesitation, to draw her closer to me. I paused, listening. My princess did not stir yet.

I looked at Ruka's face and she blushed. My princess had a prettier blush than that and much more innocent. She looked uncomfortable under my daze, and I recovered quickly. "I would like your blood. Will you give it to me?"

She looked slightly surprised and put a hand on the side of her neck unconsciously. "It would be an honor."

She was foolish. Why would it be an honor if I drank her blood? Because her mother would be proud? Because I was a Pureblood?

Then I heard it: shifting sounds and a quiet murmur. I dipped my head closer to Ruka's neck, and her skin smelled tastelessly bland compared to Yuuki's. When I heard the sound of her quiet footsteps stop at the door, I inhaled, imagining my princess instead.

"Ruka…" I murmured against her skin. _Yuuki…_

And I sank my fangs into her neck, and drank, wondering how much sweeter my princess's blood was to smell so fascinating.

"Ka…name…sama…No…more…" I hardly heard Ruka's shallow breathing but I did stop drinking as I listened. I heard a tiny gasp, the soft creak of the door, and rapid footsteps that faded away.

I let Ruka fall into my arms as she fainted, and I smoothed out her hair like I usually did with Yuuki's "That's right. You should run away, Yuuki." I whispered to the room. "You make me cruel."

It would be inevitable that Ruka would now fall in love with me. It was the nature of vampires. One would fall in love with the vampire who drank their blood. However, it was not irreversible. It could be overcome if given the right amount of care and love, and Kain was willing to provide both. A feeling of guilt washed over me as I wiped the remnants of the blood from my lips. Perhaps this was unfair to both Ruka and Kain, but my selfishness would have none of it. As long as I could keep Yuuki safe from me and the rest of us, I was willing to do anything.

Only Death could stop me now.

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_Notes: Sad chapter, but one of my favorites._


	7. Chapter 7

_Notes: Sorry I'm late with this update. I was really busy with many things. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Seven: _The Uncovering_

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Under my ever watchful eye, my princess bloomed into the most beautiful rose that could ever exist in the world. She was healthy, vibrant, and springing with delicious life, and whenever I laid eyes on her, she made me smile without thinking, leaving my heart unguarded for a fraction of a second before it closed back up when it realized the dangers of emotions displayed to the general public. Ever since the incident when I drank Ruka's blood, my princess had not come near the Moon dormitory but instead of feeling relieved, I felt lonely again even though I had loyal people all around me begging for attention. Her reactions became more careful, cautious even, as she grew. Her naïve innocence of her childhood had faded away, and she dared not touch me as freely as she used to. Though I knew not to take it so personally, my soul felt…

Abandoned.

However, my heart would not stop beating to put me out of my misery, but beat louder and faster every time she was close or when her sweet scent tantalized my senses. The more she grew, the more she resembled the Kuran family, and her auburn hair almost matched the exact shade of what my father's had been. Even her childish clumsiness reminded me of my mother's behaviors, and I knew that even though her true nature was locked away, her parentage could never be denied. I even grew to love those round brown eyes; they glittered like dark amber in the fading light of the sunset. I tried my best to smile at her when I met her wondering eyes when the Night class transferred into the building for school while the Day class returned back to the Sun dormitories.

Yuuki was blowing short whistles at some rowdy Day class girls, shouting at them to keep their places as the transition took place. However, she was still small in stature and not very strong at all, and the older girls knocked her over in their excitement, causing her to fall on her knees. I bit my tongue hard at the effort to restrain an urge to kill every girl in sight. I walked forward in large strides to hide my immense hurry and stooped down on one knee to gently help her up by the arm.

"Are you okay, Yuuki?" I gave her my best smile, pleased to see the automatic blush that crept into her cheeks. "They're always so difficult to manage."

"Kaname-sempai!" She said in surprise. I resisted the instinct to flinch at the change of address that I was still having trouble getting used to. It was a sure sign that things had changed between us. Realizing the close distance between us, she jumped up quickly as if there was an unspoken rule of no-contact between us. "Yes, I'm just fine!"

I let out a small chuckle at her hurry, ignoring the small stab of pain that I felt in my chest. "You're always so formal with me. It makes me really sad…" Even though I always said my feelings aloud, she never believed me. I could see it in her eyes; it was as if she did not want to believe my words. She denied them and therefore denied me.

My words made her nervous. "No…I didn't mean…!" My princess stuttered quickly, unable to express what she wanted to say. "It's because you saved my life!" She blurted it out, Age had made her realize how great of a gift that was, saving someone's life, but I'd rather she not have gotten so…distant from me. Age had also given her the newly developed wisdom of the difference between a man and a woman, and by her startled, nervous actions, I knew she saw me as something more than a simple savior, and I gained a little bit of hope from it.

Wishing to erase such formality, I tried to bring back old memories of her childhood by patting her head. "Don't worry about that anymore. It happened so long ago." The overwhelming urge to bury my face in her hair washed over me, but before I could act, the _boy_ interrupted us.

He was fast, much faster than I remembered. He grabbed my wrist and tore it from her, holding it firmly while he stood by her side…too close for my tastes. I almost growled. The Kiriyu boy's abhorrence for vampires grew while the seal on his neck weakened, and the irony glared at me with piercing, warning eyes. I detested him with all my life, a different kind of feeling than what I felt for Rido and Ichiou to be sure, but I despised him nonetheless. I despised him for being able to sleep in the adjacent room to hers, for being able to eat a normal dinner with her, for being able to tease her without restraint. I hated him for all of it. Everything that he was able to do had been stolen from me, and I loathed Rido all the more for it.

He was as tall as me, and he lost all of the childish roundness he had possessed before. He glowered at me, his silver eyes glinting sharply in warning. Only the Heaven and Hell knew how much I wanted to kill him, but Yuuki would be sad. Even though I did not want to admit it, I knew she held feelings for him, and he had become important to her during the last few years. Killing him would mean that I would be breaking the treaty with the Chairman, something that I could not disrespect if Coexistence was to be a success.

"Class is starting…Kuran."

He was a rude little brat that did not know his place, and it would be one of life's greatest pleasures to kick him back into the bottom of the pyramid where he belonged like the dog he was. Yes, I knew what he was. I had put the pieces together when the Night class officially began. Those silvery eyes would glint red when there was a small amount of blood nearby or he would abruptly leave the room as if in pain. Being bitten by a Pureblood could be only cause of his transformation, and one had attacked his family. Fate was cruel to the both of us.

Kiriyu Zero was a vampire.

I snapped my wrist from his grip, easily able to break away. A mere hunter could not stand against a Pureblood. If Cross couldn't do it against even my mother, then this boy didn't have a chance against me.

"You're scaring me…Mr. Prefect." I said with a sarcastic smile over my shoulder as I walked away with the rest of the Night class.

Little did the boy know that I was indeed being merciful. Perhaps I was being too generous with him by letting him stay by Yuuki's side even when I knew his secret. He rarely talked, but his actions told me enough about his protective instincts concerning my princess, and I was satisfied with the job he was doing now. His hatred of the vampire race kept her from wandering into the Moon dormitory for which I grudgingly thankful. The boy had his uses.

I rarely paid real attention in class, and the classroom atmosphere was relaxed, making it impossible to do any real learning. They were all very talented and hardly needed guidance in the knowledge area, but our real lessons came every time we transitioned into the academy with hundreds of humans all around us, susceptible to our charm and abilities.

Ichijou crossed my line of vision, causing me to pull myself out of a dull daze, and he held up a calendar flipped to the present month: February. With a large, pink heart, he had marked the fourteenth and had written "Valentine's Day" in his haphazard penmanship.

"What do you think Yuuki-chan will get you?" He whispered urgently, obviously excited at the prospect of the upcoming holiday. He amused me. I merely smiled and did not reply.

It became a tradition for the Day class to give chocolates to the Night class as the transition took place, and it was a holiday that most of the vampires hated with the exception of Aidou and Kain. Last year had passed without getting a chocolate from my princess and so I did not expect much this year either. The numerous boxes I'd received I had simply thrown away because they held no appeal for me. Seeing Yuuki well and happy was a blessing every day.

However, the day did come, and Aidou, excited for the enormous amount of attention lavished upon him, could hardly stand still. The familiar clambering of the many girls beyond the sturdy gates floated back to us, and I could hear Yuuki's incoherent shouts as she fought to keep the crowd in control. Once again, I had to ready my body so that it would not suddenly slaughter all the insolent little girls that dared to look down upon my princess.

The gates, with a groan of protest, swung open and revealed pink and red confetti strewn over the path. I could see the back of my princess as she waved her arms and blew on her black whistle. "Get in line! Get in line!" She called out over the loud hubbub.

My eyes met the cold, icy-blue eyes of the Kiriyu-boy who had been glaring at me while I was staring after Yuuki. I did not restrain the small smirk upon my lips which promptly caused his brows to furrow even deeper than usual. She was explaining the rules of the Valentine's Day process to mostly Aidou rather than everyone else. No one really cared about the petty human gifts and attention. The vampire nobles could not fathom or entertain the thoughts of mingling with the humans except for Aidou and Kain.

When Yuuki was finished explaining, still with a comical stern look on her pretty face, Aidou pranced toward the biggest group of girls that stood chanting his nickname: the Idol. Deeply amused at his childish antics, I could not help but express it in what was meant to be an austere warning.

"Mind your manners, Aidou."

He froze before he answered with an angelic expression. "Yes, President Kuran."

To comply with the many girls gathered at the makeshift gate with my name written in an arch above it, I accepted the boxes upon boxes of chocolates handed to me. I maintained a polite mask and tone when my arms were full of the useless boxes of chocolates that would end up in the nearest trash can. "I'm very sorry, everyone. It seems that I cannot hold anymore."

The girls all beamed at me. "That's fine, Kaname-sama!"

I was almost at the end of the Valentine's Day gauntlet and I saw Yuuki trying to hold back a group of girls from rushing at Kain. I felt ashamed that I had accepted the other boxes of chocolate, like as if I had betrayed the one that I loved most. I wanted to burn all of them in my hands and take her back into my arms.

However, all I could say was, "Thank you for everything today, Yuuki."

She blushed while trying to appear calm. "S-Sure!"

Before I walked back to the Academy with the rest, I looked at her again over my shoulder. "Don't get hurt."

"I won't!" She called back. I smiled at her the best I could.

As I strode away with Seiren beside me, I heard squealing and screaming from the girls, and my sharp hearing picked out the cry of surprise from my princess.

"Kuran!" The Kiriyu boy called out my name and behind me, I felt something whistling in the air toward my head, and I quickly turned around and snatched a small, wrapped box from the air. "You dropped this."

Something in his eyes held a challenge. Yuuki stared at the box with shock as she rummaged through her pockets, and I realized that it was a gift from her. My soul seemed to sing. I smiled at her innocence. "I accept. Thank you, Yuuki."

My princess blushed again. The box in my hand almost seemed to burn in my cold hand and my black heart fluttered at the sight of the cute red ribbon. Red was Yuuki's favorite color. I walked while staring at the box with all of the other ones in my arms before Seiren's voice stopped me.

"Kaname-sama, you don't have to carry all of them." She held out her hand and I dropped the entire pile into her hands except the box from the princess.

"You can get rid of the rest. This is the only one I want." The coldness in my voice seemed to match the chilly February air.

The night was filled with more thoughts of my princess as I sat in a common study room for al students with Ichijou. I vaguely heard him talk about Yuuki. I merely looked at the unopened box of chocolates. The burning eyes of the Kiriyu boy accompanied all thoughts of Yuuki. Absently dropping two blood tablets into a wine glass filled with water, I watched the crimson color slowly permeated through the clear liquid, staining it a dark red.

"By the way, the prefect, Kiriyu, was looking really off color today." Ichijou said while he flipped through a book in his hand.

The water had turned to blood. "It was bound to happen." I said quietly, fingering the glass carefully.

Ichijou looked at me in surprise. "What? Do you know something about it?"

"Let's just say that the incident that happened those many years ago…completely changed his life."

I spoke the truth. He was changed now. He was a vampire, so how could I let him near my princess? I planned to dispose of him as soon as he descended into the madness that would soon accompany his transformation into a vampire. Until then, it would be hard for Yuuki to understand why I wanted, needed to kill him. He was beginning. I could hear him today; he was struggling with keeping composure in front of the students. No matter what anyone said, the boy hated vampires and thus hated himself for becoming one. He was denying his decaying body of the life-sustaining blood, but either way, he would soon lose his sanity, unable to recognize anyone, even the ones who cared enough about him to let him live.

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• ∞ •

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My uneasy mind would not let me sleep during the day—I hardly slept in the recent weeks, but sleep was not essential to me. My princess's safety was my foremost concern and the Kiriyu boy beside made me restless. I decided to see the Chairman; it was due time for a visit anyway. When I exited my room and went down the stairs, I saw Ruka sitting in an armchair reading a book. She heard my footsteps and looked up, startled to see me dressed in the Night class uniform.

"I must go see the Chairman today. You should be sleeping, Ruka." I said gently.

She blushed and shook her head. "I will accompany you, Kaname-sama. It would not be prudent for the president to go alone."

I hesitated, but allowed her the small pleasure. I nodded and went directly to the Academy. Class time was over and there were many students in the halls, and they whispered behind their hands, surprised that two Night class students walked amongst them. I saw Ruka's face slightly wrinkled in distaste when she had the misfortune of brushing past some of them.

Then I felt it, the cold, disturbed aura coming towards me. The Kiriyu boy froze when he saw me, and I made my face twist into a pleasant smile. "I didn't expect to see you here, Kiriyu. Yuuki isn't with you today?" His brows deepened toward the middle at the mention of her name, and his eyes warned me clearly. He amused me. Ruka and I walked past his unmoving figure.

"She has some extra classes today, Kuran." My name was spat out and it hung in the air like a sour note.

My sadistic nature peeked out from my composed tone. "So, Kiriyu…how are you feeling?" I could not prevent the slight smirk that flitted across my lips.

His shoulders stiffened and he whipped his head around in shock, his eyes glimmering with anger and—was that fear? I gave him a warning look of my own, suddenly tired that I was the only one receiving the warnings from a Class E demon. "Take care now." I said mockingly.

I told Ruka to go back to the Moon dorm while I met with Cross. Without knocking, I entered and quietly shut the door behind me.

The Chairman rose from his seat behind the desk. "Oh, hello, Kaname-kun. I had a feeling you'd come around sometime today." He said. Cross did not meet my eyes. He looked at the window.

"Chairman Cross…" I said quietly but firmly. My voice made him look at me directly in the eyes. "How long do you plan on allowing Kiriyu Zero to stay in the Day class?"

He averted his eyes again but I continued. "It won't be long…before he goes through the 'change.'"

There was a long silence between us before the Chairman answered me. He carefully adjusted the spectacles on his nose. "I knew I wouldn't be able to fool you, Kaname-kun. You were always extraordinary…to have inherited the powers of the vampire ancients…creatures feared even by vampires. It has been due to your support that the wilder members of the Night class have behaved themselves until now…"

He was stalling again. I stepped forward and slammed my hand on his desk, leaning toward him with malevolent eyes. "Chairman Cross, I have only endured this situation thus far only out of my deep respect for you. But now, for the sake of the normal students, Kiriyu must be controlled." _For the sake of my princess, you cannot let him stay anymore_. My nails dug into the wood, splintering the top into crude, angry particles. "Do you seriously intend to allow him to destroy everything we've worked so hard to achieve?"

The Chairman's eyes swam with denial and confusion. "Zero's parents were killed by a vampire. It's a miracle that he was saved from that sea of blood. There has to be another way…" He trailed off.

"But the one who killed his family wasn't just an ordinary vampire. She was a Pureblood just like me."

'_Shut up! You smell just like that woman!' _I knew what he had meant now.

The man's eyes were closed with defeat, and I said what he did not wish to hear. "Only humans who are bitten by a Pureblood become vampires!"

"I know that, Kaname-kun." He whispered, his hands laced together to keep them from trembling. "I know it wasn't an ordinary vampire that bit Zero. I know she was a Pureblood…"

"Then you must know this also. Once a Pureblood bites a human, there are only three possible outcomes. If they're lucky, the blood is toxic enough to kill them. If not, they must endure the slow agony of transformation until they also become vampires. It's a torture that other vampires cannot even begin to imagine. Although he will never be human again, to have suppressed his new instincts for four long years requires a strength that I cannot comprehend."

The moonlight spilled into the room and a dull breeze stirred the air, and I could suddenly smell blood. Nectar-like blood. I suddenly turned to the door. "What's wrong, Kaname-kun?"

"I can smell blood…" I breathed. I bolted to the door, throwing it open and running towards the source of the smell. It was like perfume in the air which meant that there was a lot spilled, and an anxious ball of energy in my chest grew. It was the strongest at the west staircase. I could see the top of the Kiriyu's silver hair.

"Yuuki?" I asked as I slowly climbed the stairs, my entire being threatening to shake with livid fury.

My precious princess quickly turned her head at the sound of my voice, and I could see the dark blood stains on her clothes and ivory skin. "Ka-Kaname-sempai?" I clenched my fist to control myself in front of my princess. My eyes met the crimson eyes of the boy and the monster within me roared like a chimera. I could hardly see through the dark film of wrath that set over my vision.

"So, you've finally succumbed to the bloodlust of beasts, Kiriyu Zero." I put out an arm and pushed my princess behind me to protect her from him…and me.

Before I could say anything else, my princess rushed out from behind me and placed herself between the two of us. "D-Don't, Kaname-sempai!" She opened her mouth to say something else, but she froze before fainting into the arms of my hated enemy.

The boy stared at me in disbelief and shock. "Yuuki…?" His hands were tarnished the crimson of her blood.

My eyes glowed with loathing. "Your thirst must have been insatiable." I snarled as I took my princess from his bloody arms. "To have drained her to the point where she can't even stand…" My chest ached with the urge to kill him, to make him pay as painfully as I could. All of my being screamed with the need to plunge my hand into his chest and mutilate his heart before his very eyes.

"Yuuki's blood…was it really that delicious?" I asked as I cradled her form against me. He had tasted the sacred blood that even I had not touched, and yet this insolent demon dared. He could never understand how precious she was to me.

If he was of no use to my princess, I would have killed him where he stood, but he would have a permanent use as her shield now. He owed her that much after attacking her. He was bound to my princess as a slave to her every bidding, and he knew it. It was either ending his life or living for hers, and knowing his nature, he would choose the latter. Even though I hated him, he was going to be my most important ally and I his.

And I now became another step closer to checkmate.

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_Notes: Another round of reviews? If you have suggestions for some scenes, feel free to comment. Thanks!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Beginning notes: Wow, long wait! Sorry about that! But now I will have more time to write now that school is drawing to a clothes. With the new anime to keep me inspired, the next chapters shouldn't be so much of a trouble to update. However, even through thick and thin, thank you all for sticking with me! Enjoy my chapter eight, and I hope it is to your liking. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Eight: _The Pawn King_

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The time ticked by slowly, and I remained close by Yuuki, carefully out of plain sight. I made sure she was safe for she was no longer adequately protected because her protector himself had turned into the monster that I was trying to keep her from. I plotted about the ways that I could destroy the Kiriyu boy without suspicion; however, I knew that I could not. I could feel something in my weary bones—Rido was coming, and it would be best to have him around her. I had to risk it for her good. The damage he would do to her was nothing compared to what was to come.

That didn't mean that I wouldn't amuse myself in the meantime. My infinite jealousy would not let him dwell so easily in peace beside my princess.

It was high noon when Seiren came at my door while I was resting in my room with a small book in hand. "What is it, Seiren?"

She bowed before quickly shutting the door. "Kaname-sama, there are reports of an E-class vampire in the town. Of course, the humans do not suspect yet, but there have been several reports of three murders that coincide with each other. Should I go take care of it?"

I sat up from the velvet sofa and put the book aside. "No, I cannot ask you to do so many things all at once. Even you are not invincible, Seiren." I gave her a small smile before she could voice her protest. "Ichijou and Shiki can do the job. Inform them of what is happening and whenever they are ready, they should go into town. Yuuki has duties today so she will not have the opportunity to wander into town…"

She left to do my bidding and I was once again alone in the room. I looked at the glass ornament calendar on the desk and recognized the date.

It was Ichijou's eighteenth birthday, and Ichiou had things prepared for the big age of becoming a man. We were to have a party in the evening, and everyone was invited, but I had a Senate meeting to attend that evening so I would be a little late, but I gave instructions to Aidou and Kain to keep order during the party. No one was to disobey the academy rules while I was gone.

"As you wish, Kaname-sama." Kain said with a bow and a smirk.

The Senate meeting was in its usual circular, marbled hall. People greeted me and welcomed me, but I knew that someone in particular would not be pleased with my presence when I would say what I came to say. I took the floor again, silent and pondering, and the heels of my shoes echoed against the black marble floor as I walked toward the middle. The nobles fell quiet and I cleared my throat to begin speaking.

"I must attend an important event soon, so I will make this short. I hereby renounce from me the guardianship of Ichijou Asato. Your services throughout these years, Ichiou, have been greatly appreciated, but my conscience says that I can no longer burden you any further. I will now leave you all. I wish you the best of health for you and your families."

The hall was silent, marveling at my daring to break away from the most influential vampire in the Senate, and my dark heart sneered with glee at their stunned faces, especially at the shocked face of Ichijou Asato. His dark eyes followed me all the way out of the room, but I kept my eyes forward at the long, glimmering hallway that led out of the building. Shedding his guardianship from my shoulders would come in handy in the future. For now, it would keep me less in his surveillance and later it would give my own allies some backbone to resist him when the time came.

With the breeze gently ruffling my hair, I stared out at the brilliant black night, the moonlight casting its shimmering beams upon the tops of the trees. The car sped back to the academy but a part of me wished it was going to back to the mansion in which I had lived with my princess, blissful and happy, before Rido, before the Senate, before the murders. The memories still lingered even when I tried my hardest to start over again with the new, the forgotten, the human Yuuki, but my mind was cruel; it would not let me forget my vengeance or my undying love for one who had forgotten who I was.

The car stopped in front of the Moon Dorms, and I stepped out of the car with Seiren there to welcome me home. She bowed at her waist, and her usually impassionate eyes glimmered at the sight of me as a small smile that only I recognized made its way on her face. "Kain and Aidou have brought Yuuki-sama and the Kiriyu prefect to the party, Kaname-sama. It was Ichijou's wish for his birthday."

I could hear my heart thud in my ears. "What?" I froze as deep fear seized me at this unexpected news, but strangely, my heart suddenly elated at the mention of my princess. "Take me to them."

She led the way through the winding forest path to the backyard of the dorms where all of the students were gathered, lounging peacefully around while drinking wine glasses filled with tablet blood water. I saw the tiered birthday cake in the center, and I saw Ichijou close by as he was talking to Yuuki, and both of their faces reflected the seriousness of the issue in discussion. My eyes directly fixated on the Kiriyu boy standing slightly behind her. Good, at least he was on guard.

"…sometimes an ex-human vampire gone wild would escape from the nobles' control and charge into human society…"

Ah, so that was what they were talking about.

I stepped forward into the dim porch lights and all eyes slowly turned to my direction. "I heard today that an E-class vampire was roaming outside. That is why Ichijou and Shiki went to hunt him down…at my order."

At the sound of my voice, my princess turned and her brown eyes widened at the sight of me. "Kaname-sempai!"

"Yuuki, why didn't you report this matter to the Chairman?"

She looked away with a slight blush on her cheeks as if she had committed an embarrassing act. "I thought that simply reporting this matter was not enough…and I wanted to confirm for myself."

"For yourself…is it?" I breathed out finally. "Coming to this place, with Kiriyu-kun…"

I wanted to shake my head in disapproval at her foolishness. _Why couldn't you stay away from us? Why must you be in the midst of us where it is the most dangerous, where a simple paper cut could lead to the entire race of vampires going out of control?_ I almost bared my fangs at the stupid, useless boy next to her, instantly frustrated at his poor performance in shielding her from harm. Couldn't anyone do his job right? There was a leather sofa for me on the back porch, and I sat down, suddenly feeling too tired of dealing with the inadequacies of the people around me. Seiren took her place behind the sofa while I kept my eyes on my princess who looked around half in curiosity and half in slight apprehension.

"Yuuki, come sit beside me." I invited with an extended hand.

Her face lit up in a brilliant shade of pink at my sudden invitation. She looked up at the Kiriyu boy beside her, almost as if asking for permission. The urge to rip the sofa in half made me tremble slightly.

"No thanks." She declined while still blushing.

I tried again, this time aware of the many faces turned at our strange interaction. "Yuuki…" Something in my voice seemed to stir her and she meekly made her way to my side and sat on the leather, quite a distance away. I inwardly smiled at her shyness and quickly wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "The safest place is beside me."

"Kaname-sempai…" She murmured uncomfortably.

I sighed and leaned my head and rested my cheek against the softness of her hair. "I'm sorry." The apology came naturally. The thought of her witnessing yet another vampire killing chilled me to the bone. She already had such a traumatic memory, and seeing another one like it would not help her at all. What if she got nightmares? Or what if she refused to go outside by herself ever again? It again flared up the anger in me that the Kiriyu boy was not performing his duties as protector. Where had he been that he could not have hunted the vampire on his own?

"I didn't expect that Yuuki would be at the hunting scene. However," I gently grasped the injury from where I could smell the greatest concentration of blood, "you're also at fault for wandering around that sort of place. You were injured by that vampire, right? It must be painful."

She met my eyes. "No, it was because I was too careless."

"Ex-vampires shouldn't have been created." I watched her eyes grow in surprise. "But a long time ago, when the battle between the vampires and vampire hunters was at its fiercest, some vampires wanted to rope in most humans to be their kind in order to increase their 'combat ability.'" I slowly undid the cufflink of her uniform and began to unravel the bandages around her wound, relishing the smooth ivory of her skin. "However, nowadays, the noble class of the vampires has taken on the duty of managing the poor remnants of those vampires, and unfortunately, we sometimes need to 'take care' of them."

"Hunting vampires is a vampire hunter's responsibility." A cold, listless voice interrupted.

I tossed the Kiriyu boy a glance his way, wondering if the irony of his own words had not surprised him.

"Then why did you not kill him at that time?" I asked coolly, focusing on his face.

I watched with contempt as his eyes grew wide. I refocused my attention on my princess. "Let me erase the pain of your wound." I lifted her elbow, let out a breath that I had been holding in, and slowly kissed it, my tongue gently pressing against the open cut while my eyes drifted shut. The sweet honey-like taste of her blood almost overwhelmed me at first. I heard her gasp and try to pull away, but I held onto her like I held on to my life.

My eyes slowly opened and I reluctantly pulled my lips from her skin as I let my cool glare settle on the boy. "Or is it that, Kiriyu-kun, you pity him?"

In a speed that could indeed match Seiren, he pulled out the Bloody Rose and held it against my temple. His eyes were unemotional now as they stared at me with a blank expression. Seiren had her knife-like hand against his artery, ready to spill his worthless blood, but I was calm. The boy could never shoot me in front of my princess.

"Seiren, it's ok." She immediately retracted her hand. "I was the one who spoke carelessly."

I heard Aido bristle at the boy's daring to point his weapon at me. "Don't forget," he called loudly enough for everyone to hear, "it's only because of Kaname-sama's presence that we are gathered at this school. Because he is a Pureblood."

The label again caused a sinking sensation in my chest as I tried to force a smile on my face to look friendly for Yuuki. "You look like it's the first time you've heard it." The smile was unsuccessful. "Are you scared?"

Her face was full of innocence and truth as she looked at me. "Actually, since a long time ago, I've been scared of Kaname-sempai. Now still a little…"

It was indeed only natural, but her honest confession left me emptier than before.

The atmosphere grew tenser with the Kiriyu boy there, and I could feel his thirst rising with each passing minute, no, with every second. Then suddenly I smelled the familiar scent of Ichijou's blood in the air, and I felt the thirst snap in two—I swear I almost heard the tension break audibly—and the boy ran from the yard. I would not have cared if Yuuki had stayed put by my side, but she jumped up in surprise at his sudden departure. And without even a good-bye, she chased after him. Watching her retreating form was one of the hardest things I had ever gone through.

"Never mind, just let him be." Kain said with a sigh.

"I'm…alright…" I said quietly. But I was not. My head was pounding and ran my hand through my hair to gather my wits about me again. "Yuuki…will come back by my side again."

I had to believe that with all of my eroded heart so that I could cling on the remainder of what was left. Without her, I would forever live together with misery.

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With more reluctance than usual, I attended the Night Class the next day. There was a new sensei, a true vampire hunter, Yagari Touga, but like most humans, still ignorant of the principles of the vampire race. I had heard that he had shot the Kiriyu boy, his own former apprentice, and I was only disappointed that he didn't finish what he had started. Aside from this, his attitude made me disagreeable throughout the night, and I wished that I could silence his arrogance with a simple swipe of my hand to decapitate his inflated, egotistical head.

"The next class is about to begin. Aren't you coming in?" Ichijou asked when he stuck his head of the double doors.

"I'm not interested in that old man's class." I said while glancing disinterestedly through a book about economics.

Ichijou perked up and looked around. "Come to think of it, where did Yuuki go? She was worried about something…"

I lowered my book and looked out of the big bay window. The entire day and night, I felt apprehensive about my princess. What if she had done the unthinkable? The forbidden? Would my heart be able to handle that sort of betrayal? It had to. Even if I had to get one of titanium so it could not break anymore.

"Kaname…?" My friend's voice broke through my determined thoughts.

"Yuuki is very kind-hearted…" Yet she was cruel to me without meaning to.

I pushed my body away from the window and closed my book to sit it on the sill. I began to walk down the hallway. "Where are you going?" Ichijou called from the door.

"Tell the sensei I had to go see the Chairman." I said without turning around.

The early morning was dark with the moon glittering above in the sky, the air sweet and nostalgic. The breeze played with my hair as it was tossed back and forth, and it carried with it the scent of rich nectar which I recognized almost instantly.

Up ahead, I could see her silhouette walking with almost a defeated gait. I almost froze at the new scent of blood…her blood. When I was twenty feet from her, she noticed me and her face declared her surprise at seeing me.

"Yuuki, where do you intent to go?" I asked like a brother who had caught her sneaking out.

She opened her mouth but her voice stuttered as she tried to create a cohesive sentence. "Um, I was going to attend the Night Class."

Her lie pricked at my emptiness even more. "It has ended. Everyone has gone back to the dorms." I thought I saw her shiver. "Should I inform Chairman Cross that you are secretly outside?"

My princess cast her eyes downward at my feet. "No…"

I stepped forward closer to her. "Is that so…" I reached out and gently touched the ends of her hair, feeling the tiny drops of water rolled onto my fingers. "The ends are wet…Did you wash it?"

Then I saw it when I brushed some of her hair away from her neck. The smell of her blood grew stronger. The bandage on the side of her pale neck indicated what I had feared the most. She had done what was considered a forbidden sin even in the world of vampires. I had to remind myself to breathe. I should have been the one to get the first drink of her pure blood, but a filthy mongrel had taken such a privilege away from me because my princess was too kind-hearted.

She snapped her head up to look at me with shock-filled eyes that were scared and frightened, yet determined to defend her secret. I knew I had lost to her goodness. Instead of accusing her, I took her into my arms and sighed against her head.

"Kaname-sem—"She started but I cut her off.

"From when?" I whispered, hoping she could detect the note of desperation in my voice. "Yuuki doesn't talk to me anymore. In these last ten years, this is the only aspect of you that has changed." I wanted her to answer, yet I was afraid of it at the same time. What if she did not love me as I loved her? Did that mean that I would have lost to Kiriyu Zero? No, my love would not be defeated so easily.

I pulled away and patted her shoulder. "Good night, Yuuki."

"Good night, Kaname-sempai." She whispered as she walked away. I watched her back for what seemed to be the millionth time.

"A Pureblood vampire hugging a human girl so warmly…" A voice mocked from behind me. "I don't know why you break tradition to favor that little girl; you should know what she has just done." He looked at me with a smirk when I partially turned around to face him. "After all, the evidence is still there."

I gave him a cold glare.

"Never mind, I'm getting uncomfortable waiting for an honest answer. What is your motive? Why don't you drive Zero into a corner?" He asked as he raised his hand to inhale the cigarette in between his fingers.

I sped past him at a speed that he was just barely able to register, nicking his fragile human skin with my nail.

A satisfied smile appeared on my face. "So that I won't lose her, of course." Without much else, I turned back to the Moon Dormitory.

I went back to my room and I sat down heavily on my velvet sofa. An intricate glass chess set was set up on the coffee table, and I fiddled with the black king piece while my eyes hungrily roved over the board looking for the next ideal move with the maximum amount of benefits.

Too much was at stake to be careless now. I had planned on destroying the boy if the forbidden had happened, but a new idea was forming. Yuuki's blood, even in human form, was not just ordinary blood, therefore able to have more effect than sustaining him from true E Class vampire form than normal human blood. Combined with his vampire senses and his original design as a vampire hunter, he could be a weapon beyond comprehension. I gripped the king in my hand. Just as I loved Yuuki, he would die for her, and I would make sure of that. It was indeed so perfect.

He would die fighting valiantly for the one who had saved his life twice over, and I would keep her safe, away from the mayhem about to ensue. That was the fate of my pawn king, and it was mine to break free from Rido once and for all.

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_Ending notes: Again, I apologize for the long, long wait for this chapter, but I'd definately like some feedback. I hope to create more of my own scenes that provides some hidden-in-the-background events that could have possibly happened to lead up to a certain major event in the manga. I hope you don't mind! Just for future notice, I will NOT be following the slightly different version of the anime. I personally love the manga much more._


	9. Chapter 9

_Notes: Wow...Very long absence. I apologize. I valiantly struggled with several writer's blocks as I was writing this. Thank you for bearing with me and the encouragement that you gave me even during my horribly unforgivable absence. As an author, I humbly beg, on all fours, for an ounce of your mercy.  
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_Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Vampire Knight._

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Book Nine: _Dancing with Sin_

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Cross Academy was filled with more excitement than usual with the ball that was to take place in just a day, and I was also expectant for the coming dance; perhaps it would be my chance to spend a moment of privacy with my princess. I went back to my manor after some business with the Senate, and opened a secret door that led up to the cellar where I had hidden all of the belongings of my late parents. There was a heavy trunk in the middle of the dusty room, and I opened the lock with ease with a password. Lifting the lid, I found what I had come for: my mother's beautiful dresses. I had not been able to throw them away when the thought of my princess being old enough to wear them looking even more beautiful than my dead mother had looked in them.

One by one, I unfolded them and held them out to inspect them closer, wondering what kind of dress I wanted to see Yuuki wear the most: this one too informal, this one much too colorful, this one…much too revealing. Perhaps she would wear it one day just for me, and the primitive part of me hungered for that day. I finally chose one that was a soft pink with white ruffles underneath and one that had a decently high neckline since I decided that I would rather not have teenage boys staring at her chest for the entire night. It was elegant yet well suited for her age, and I knew she would be the most radiant creature that the world had ever seen.

Pleased with my choice, I went back down the stairs, quietly sealing up the cellar along with all of the things from my past; however, little by little, I felt as if I was slowly bringing them back into my future. I carefully laid the dress over a plush velvet chair and I sat down with a blank card and fountain pen in front of me, my mind not quite sure how to begin a note to Yuuki. I hesitantly reached for the pen and touched the tip to the paper, creating a small dot of black ink, marring the white background of the card. Unhurriedly, I began to write:

_To my dear Yuuki,_

_I would be greatly honored if you wore this dress to the dance. I will be waiting for you,_

_Your servant,_

_Kuran Kaname_

It was simple, but there was no way that I could even begin to convey my feelings for her on paper, so I said the simplest things to at least to get my point across. I only hoped that the Kiriyu boy kept his dirty hands away from her. At the thought of that boy, I almost broke my fifth desk; I still could not forgive him for biting my most precious girl, and I knew that I indeed would never forgive for his Sin.

I asked Seiren to wrap the dress and the card in a neat box and instructed her to leave it at the door of her dormitory room the night of the dance before she left. She nodded once and walked out of the door just as Ichijou came in. He flashed at her a charming smile that she briefly returned before disappearing out of sight. My friend closed the door and heaved a sigh.

"What's wrong, Ichijou?" I asked with a slightly amused smile.

He gave me a pained look. "The dance is tomorrow and I don't know what to do."

Ichijou always made things overly dramatic. I folded my hands together and rested my chin on them. "What?"

"What will I do if too many girls ask for a dance? I can't keep dancing with all of them. Even though I'm a vampire, I still do get tired!" He looked at the ceiling and put his hands together as if he was praying to the heavens to plead for mercy. "Oh, did you know? Kurenai Maria is sick again so she won't be able to attend the dance."

"Ah…A shame…" I murmured, but I knew the reason behind the excuse.

Kurenai Maria was only a shell. The first day of her transfer, she had greeted me in the classroom, and the faint smell of a Pureblood wafted into the room. It had caught me off guard but it aroused suspicions. I knew that only Purebloods had the special power of possessing other beings—in fact, my own uncle was probably using this power to inhabit a poor, defenseless creature somewhere since I had torn his own body to shreds. Hio Shizuka was conniving and the reason why she came to the academy was easy enough to guess.

The Kiriyu boy.

I almost snarled.

"K-Kaname? Are you listening? Why are you so dazed?" Ichijou looked concerned as he stared at me nervously.

Forcing my lips to turn upward into a smile, I sighed. "I have to go study."

He gave me a softer, more sincere smile. "You know, you don't always have to force a smile like that. You can show me how you really feel sometimes. It's not hard." With a wider smile, he left, leaving my chest aching dully.

If only it was as easy as he made it sound. With no way to truly differentiate between my allies and enemies, I could never truly express my inner self…

Unless I was with my princess. She made me forget sometimes: the pain, the revenge, the loneliness. But always, when I left her radiant presence, my motivation for bittersweet revenge returned tenfold—no, a thousand fold. She was the only thing I had left in this world, and I would no stand to see it get taken away from me again. Not anymore. Not when I had the ultimate Checkmate. Nothing else mattered.

Shizuka, if she was putting on the pretense of being sick, would be making her move tonight. What would I do? It would not be a surprise if she had already approached my Yuuki, most likely luring her with the temptation that she could save her friend somehow. And my princess would be too naïve and too gentle to suspect any kind of betrayal of a promise because I or even the Chairman have broken a promise that we have made to her. I would not simply let Yuuki's pureness be tainted by a conniving vampire. Shizuka would never get her way because she was too simple, too weak to make any difference in the plans that I had laid out. She was going to die, but not at the hands of the Kiriyu boy—she was going to die by mine. I took some pleasure in this dirty chore just because I knew Zero wanted to kill her himself to avenge his family.

How he amused me. He almost made me really laugh at his stupidity. Were his sufferings greater than mine? His parents were Hunters who murdered the innocent and guilty without discrimination, while mine vowed to never drink the blood of humans ever again. His loved blood and mine hated killing. It was only fair that they would be killed when they killed so many of our kind, but mine were innocent. They only wanted peace. They only wanted to live to see their children grow and be happy. But they met death too early, and I was going to make the vampires pay with the help of the unknowing Kiriyu.

There was information that Hio had a little sidekick who lurked in the outskirts of the academy, entering only at night through one of the many side entrances. He had a mask. He was of little matter to me since he only seemed to be human. He was not as agile as the Kiriyu boy or as strong, so I doubted he could pose any real threat to me.

We would see how this night would end, but I could be certain of one result. The threat of Hio Shizuka would be eliminated from the chess board before the morrow.

The time of the dance was drawing near so I went out to the front entrance of the dormitory to assemble the vampires before going. Many of the dresses worn by the female students sparkled in the dimming sunlight as the sun set, but the bored expression plastered all over their faces were as one, uniform body. This tickled a rare nerve and I smiled at them.

"As you all are painfully aware, this dance will count as a part of your grades. You must dance with at least one human partner without hurting them or revealing any part of our identity. But in the end, let's try to enjoy ourselves."

They bowed to me with a unanimous chorus of "Yes, Kaname-sama."

Obedient allies were like pawns for my bidding.

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• ∞ •

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The main hall where the dance was to take place was already full with the Day Class students. The girls whispered loudly behind their hands, causing a strange humming of murmurs that echoed throughout the large, marble room. The excited Chairman stood to give the opening announcement.

"I'm so glad to see so many people here! I hope you all have a great time! Extra credit to whoever dances with me!" The crowd laughed at his antics.

The chamber orchestra began to play a waltz, but I was already bored, having scanned the crowd twice and not being able to find my princess in her new dress. The music, at least, was soothing to my agitated senses and I began to worry if Yuuki had already gone to see Shizuka. No, the job of being a guardian always came first. Putting Seiren on alert, I quietly slipped out to the balcony, hiding behind the gossamer curtains.

The night was indeed far more beautiful than the day, and the moon shone happily without a cloud to interfere between its silvery light. The stars winked at me from the heavens and they reminded me of how my father's eyes would twinkle at the thought of any sort of mischief to displease my mother. He had once told me after Yuuki was born, 'Yuuki is like the sun; we all revolve around her.' She was the core, the very center of my entire universe, and if she was gone, then my universe would be nothing but a black hole, spinning into the pits of despair, destroying anything and everything that came near my vicinity.

The volatile thought faded when I heard her familiar call. "Kaname-sempai!"

I looked up to see her standing elegantly in the dress, beautiful and gentle, as she blushed a light pink. I couldn't help but smile. "Good evening, Yuuki. I'm happy you're wearing the dress."

Her flawless ivory face flushed a deeper color. "Ah, yes, I wanted to say how thankful I am for the dress." She bowed quickly. "Thank you!"

My princess looked nervous. She squeezed her hands together and the blush remained on her face. "Is something the matter, Yuuki? You look a little strange…" I teased lightly. She immediately put her hands to her face as if to feel her own temperature. I chuckled and gave her another reassuring smile. "I'm just kidding. You look pretty today. That dress looks really nice on you."

She looked a little shocked at my honest confession and I heard her heartbeat quicken. This pleased me more than words could ever tell. I knew that her heart would always belong to me and I was satisfied that she reacted the way I always react to her: the quickened beats of the heart, the feeling of being unable to breathe, the tightening of the chest at the scent of her hair, her skin…

I slowly reached at and gently took her porcelain hand, marveling at the smoothness of it. "Would you like to dance with me? In return for the dress…" I drew her nearer to my body by wrapping my other arm around her little waist. I had to fight to stay in focus. She was so breathtaking that I could hardly do anything.

The music was no longer in my ears. I let my memories take me back to the past when my little princess was small. The music box that I had given her as a birthday present contained two waltzing figurines that spun to the tinkling music of the box.

"_Kaname-sama, can you show me how to dance like them?"_

I could still see the innocence behind her eyes as she pleaded with me to teach her how to dance. That day, I stooped a little hold her tiny hands as I slowly taught her the steps to the dance. We couldn't match our steps to the music that day but holding her hands like that was enough for me.

"Sempai…? Why are you missing the beat?" She asked timidly as she followed my slow lead.

"Because I'm not listening to the music." I replied with ease as I again missed the beat of the turn. "Let us dance slowly…like the old times…" _How I miss the old times_.

Yuuki had a nostalgic look on her face. "You're right. Back in the past, I could only dance slowly since I had just learned the waltz…" She looked up at me and I was surprised to see that there was pain in her eyes. "You're mean, sempai. Till when do you intend to stop treating me like a child?"

I gripped her hands a little firmer. "I do not have such an intention."

"Really…?" She whispered in disbelief as she looked away in disappointment. In desperation, she looked up at me again, and this time she was angry and sad, confused and tormented. "That night…The one who made me sleep and tampered with my memories is you, isn't it…?" She pushed me away and I felt my heart tear in two. "Keeping me away from that place…just like stopping a child from poking his nose…" She trailed off without much confidence.

I had to reassure her somehow. I had to tell her my true feelings. "No…No…" I hugged her tightly with my soul begging her to understand me. "I'm not treating you like a child. I just…want to protect you. I did what I thought was best in that case…"

_Please…Believe me…_

She was frozen in my arms for a moment like a statue and then she again pushed me away, her face etched with new determination. "I'm sorry…" She murmured before turning on her heel and running from me.

Sorry? Sorry about what? That look on her face told me she was going to do something. I could not let her suffer everything by herself because of her unhealthy attachment to the Kiriyu boy. I was going to go find her first.

"Kuran-sempai, what happened to Yuuki?" That detestable voice asked me.

I turned around and glared at the form of the other academy guardian. "I have told you what your role is. You are Yuuki's shield. Do not ever forget."

And he sprinted off in the direction where I had last seen Yuuki.

"What happened, Kaname?" Ichijou asked me, thoroughly confused.

But my mind was already whirling at the next move that I had to make. I knew that the Kiriyu boy would do his best in order to protect my princess, and his best was adequate enough. I knew he didn't yet have the strength to kill a Pureblood like Shizuka, but that worked out well for me. I needed her for the plot of my revenge. I would be crossing over to the ultimate darkness for vampires like my uncle had done before me, but I could not defeat him if I did not take the risk.

Rido and I would be on equal footing after tonight—no, I would be stronger. I would have gained enough darkness to defeat him. In order for Yuuki's future to be without darkness, I had to destroy it now even if I become one with it and self-destruct. I would protect her no matter the cost. She had everything to live for and I only had one: her.

I left the school dance in search for Shizuka, and I felt a strange calmness settling within me. Perhaps I was too used to the killing, the plotting, and the acting to be nervous about committing an unforgivable sin. My prognosis led me to believe that they would either be outside or in Kurenai's room. Would interfering achieve my goal? No, I could not kill her in front of my princess. I would just have to rely on the Kiriyu boy to protect her in the meantime.

I would have to wait patiently and have Shizuka come to me.

The room was empty when I entered it and I looked around at its contents covered with white sheets. The room was nostalgic. This was the first place that held memories for me. The incident with Ruka had taken place here, and I could almost taste the blandness of her blood in mouth again. I could still see Yuuki's terrified eyes staring at me with horror as I drank someone else's blood. My heart had committed a great sin here, betraying the one to whom I was promised. And I was about to sin again, but this time in the eyes of no one.

The breeze shifted with the presence of another in the room and I watched a figure glowing in a silvery white kimono enter the room. Her clothes were stained with her blood—I could smell the rich scent of a Pureblood radiating from her like heavy perfume.

"Horrible wound, isn't it, Shizuka?" I caught her attention. "Against troublesome vampire weapons, even our abnormal healing power is limited."

She turned to face me, her skin as pale as the moon itself and her eyes eerily empty. 'Kuran's son… Why are you here?"

_To kill you. _"This bedroom was the first I occupied when I entered this school."

"I see. As for me, no one will disturb me here."

_That is the plan. _"Yes…"

"Well then, let me ask you one more time," she said quietly while fingering the dusty covers, "what brings you to this school?"

She knew more than I expected. Her tone of voice told me that she already had a clue of my answer. "To return a favor…and also because this is an appropriate place to get what I want." I slowly approached her and carefully wrapped my arms around her as if to give her reassurance and I felt her relax against me. "Actually, I probably would have done the same as you…Shizuka."

Without much difficulty, I quickly thrust my right hand into her back and through the front of her chest. Blood splattered everywhere. I gently grasped her beating heart then tightened my fingers around it, and I felt her body tremble from the shock.

"I am like you, milady. I do it for myself." I whispered into her ear.

For my Yuuki.

And I drank Hio Shizuka's blood, savoring the power that coursed through my veins with each gulp. The darkness briefly flashed before my eyes and a sudden urge to kill erupted in my stomach.

* * *

_Notes: I love all of my reviewers and readers. _


	10. Chapter 10

_Notes: Very late. I am so very sorry. I have become so busy with college and now work, so please forgive me. Instead, I have written a longer chapter than most. I hope you like it. _

* * *

Book Ten: _A Dangerous Temptation_

* * *

The first time I saw Yuuki after Shizuka's murder was when a girl in the Day Class was bitten by a vampire. It was early morning and I was in bed for the first time in that week as I tried to recuperate from the immense surge of power I received from taking Shizuka's blood. A quiet knock that I immediately recognized as Ichijou came at my door. I leisurely sat up with my silken black sheets rustling around me as I uttered softly, "Come in, Ichijou."

His usually bright face was solemn and filled with concern as he stepped in the room before he closed the door shut with a quiet click. "I'm sorry for waking you up so early, Kaname." I waved a hand dismissively and he continued to report the news. "A girl from the Day Class was bitten by someone and she fainted. The Day Class thought it was anemia but Kiriyu-kun reported the bite marks on her neck to the Chairman after he carried her to the school clinic."

"She will be alright?" I asked. My friend nodded. "Good. I will go see the Chairman now. See if you can arrange a small bouquet to send to her while she recuperates." With a swift nod, he left the room and left me to dress in my uniform before heading out.

My feet felt heavy as I walked to the Chairman's office as my heart was still afraid yet delighted at the chance to see Yuuki. I was eager until I realized that if the culprit vampire was from my class, I would look terribly irresponsible in her eyes. At last, I politely knocked and then opened the door to the office to see the two school guardians already standing in front of the Chairman. Yuuki stared at me with solemn eyes as I entered the room but still offered a bright smile. The Kiriyu boy towered over her petite figure almost protectively behind her, and I had to resist the urge to bare my fangs at him savagely.

Shifting my focus, I swiftly bowed to the Chairman. "I'm sorry, Chairman. I should have watched over the Night Class more carefully."

He gave me a reassuring smile. "No, no, we still haven't decided if the vampire came from the Night Class." He made the incident sound so minor by adding, "You were called out by the Senate, so this could just be a case for those who are bored." I could almost feel the hatred radiating from the Kiriyu boy.

"Don't worry too much. We have guardians to prevent such a thing from happening again. We just have to pay more attention from now on." The Chairman paused. "Although, the girl who fainted from anemia doesn't remember anything about her blood-being sucked. There is no doubt that the girl's memories were taken by the vampire."

The news made my stomach clench in anger. "This means that the vampires in the Night Class are suspects. The ones that do not have to rely on ritual magic to erase a memory would be the noble class…and the Night Class consists mostly of nobles."

"I understand you do not want to suspect your students, but you are being too lenient."

Then I saw the Kiriyu boy raise his hand and pat Yuuki's head. She looked surprised at his action and I looked on with a boiling stomach of jealousy and rage. "Don't worry about it too much. It isn't that you're incompetent, it's just that the opponent is skilled." He said trying to reassure her.

"Hey…Zero, you should at least feel responsible as well." She said with a pout and slight embarrassment. I had no envy of anyone except the hateful Kiriyu boy when my Yuuki talked to him so comfortably and freely.

And out of my horrid jealousy, the green monster within me made me utter, "Just to remind you, Kiriyu-kun is also a suspect." The room fell into a shocked silence. My black heart rejoiced at the disbelieving look on the boy's face and it spurred me to continue. "You are a rare sample of a vampire hunter who has become a vampire. I wouldn't be surprised if you had special abilities."

"I don't recall having any special abilities." He said flatly after he recovered from my indictment.

"Kaname-kun!" The Chairman scolded sheepishly but I paid no heed.

"Really?" I said with sarcasm, "Maybe you subconsciously attacked a human, yearning for her blood."

To that the boy had no response, but another voice spoke up. "Even though Kaname-senpai does not like Zero, I thought you had accepted him…" Yuuki said in a voice filled with disappointment that made my heart feel like tearing in two. "Do you honestly think that Zero attacked that girl?"

I could not open my mouth to say my honest feelings which were that I _hated _the sight of the boy and wished to kill him with my bare hands. I could not tell her that it took all of my power not to give into the violent urge to rip him into little pieces—that I could not care less if he attacked that girl or not. The only thing I knew for sure was that he had bit _my _Yuuki and he would pay with his life as soon as the opportunity knocked upon the black gates of my heart.

At my silence, she declared with her flushed cheeks, "Fine, I will find the real culprit and prove Zero's innocence." Grabbing the boy's hand, she said, "Come on, Zero, let's go."

Before she actually left the room, she turned her head and looked at me in the eyes. "Until you accept that Zero is innocent, I will not speak to you, Kaname-senpai." The blush on her cheeks darkened into a bright red as her face almost wavered with regret before she whirled out of the room with the boy in tow without another word to me.

The door shut behind them with a loud slam.

"Wow! This is the first time Yuuki has actually opposed Kaname-kun, right?" He smiled in amazement as he recited her angry words. "'I will not speak,' huh? Are you shocked, Kaname-kun?"

With clenched fists, I threw a silencing glare at him. The Chairman instantly changed the topic when he noticed my foul mood. "This is tough though…I wonder what true Coexistence is. That is was I am currently trying to understand.

It was the same for me. This incident was a wary warning to the fact that vampires drink human blood, and it was a grim reminder of reality.

I walked back to my dorm room with a weary heart as it dully ached at my princess's evident disappointment. But, alas, that she would defy me for the first time for that scum of a vampire. If only my childish envy did not cause me to speak such foolish words in front of her. I had only regret as company for the next two weeks without her shining presence.

* * *

The evening was chilly when I stepped outside the Moon dormitory behind Aidou, Kain, and Ichijou to go to a ball being held by Aidou's father. The usual car was waiting to take us into town where the event was being held. I sat next to Ichijou, my spirits still thick with gloom and anger, and my friend tried to smile reassuringly.

"I'm sure Yuuki-chan is just busy, Kaname. And the issue with Kiriyu-kun trial will be resolved. Don't worry."

Perhaps Ichijou was more worried about my defending the Kiriyu boy's innocence when the Senate sent assassins to kill him after it put the blame upon the Kiriyu boy for the murder of Shizuka. I was not too worried. It was approaching the time when I had to make myself clearly independent from the Senate. Besides, it was their ignorance that truly shamed Shizuka who was herself a Pureblood of immense power. Did they really believe that a mere boy could kill the likes of a Pureblood on his own? I thought it quite ridiculous but it was enough that no one suspected me as the true sinner. All they needed was that I was no longer going to be a part of them, and many of the moderates found my actions a true step for coexistence which I also found quite useful.

Aidou was feverishly glancing at me then at Ichijou in a nervous atmosphere, but he said nothing to me during the car ride. Kain merely held his respectable silence as usual. I watched the passing of the streetlamps, their light casting long shadows on the cobblestone street below. During the past few weeks, I nursed the wounds in my heart but it would not heal. The sky rained for three straight days which strikingly matched my depression.

I was shaken from my thoughts when the car gently came to a stop and my three companions got out of the car before me. I looked up to inspect the rundown building. It looked indeed abandoned and rather poor with spidery cracks crawling along the surface of the bricks. Ivy grew around the building and snaked its way all along the arches of the deserted place.

"Hey…Hanabusa…" I heard Kain's deep voice carrying back to me by a stray breeze. They were already though the entryway.

"What's wrong, Akatsuki?" Aidou asked curiously. I followed close behind.

"For some reason, Cross Yuuki is lying unconscious in a place like this."

I almost felt my blood freeze when I saw Yuuki lying unconscious on the cold floor, her hair sprawled almost enchantingly as she lay there ignorant to the horrible dangerous if I had not been the first to arrive. "What a troublesome child…" I sighed to myself. I could hear other cars and guests arriving so I swiftly stooped down and picked her up in my arms. I glanced at Aidou who immediately understood and quickly led us deep below the building.

The part of the building that was above the ground was in disuse—instead, Aidou's family had turned the basement into a place where parties could be held. The upper part of the basement held rooms that could be used, and this upper part formed a balcony that looked over the lower section of the basement where noble class vampires gathered for social events. Aidou led me to a guest room in the upper floor where I put my slumbering princess on an elegant sofa. I put a couple of velvet pillows to support her head and slid off my coat to place it over her body. Afterwards, I turned my attention to my waiting friends.

"Thank you, Aidou. Tell your father I will be down shortly and not to delay the party." I said and he left with another strange blush on his cheeks. Ichijou hastily left the room but not before giving Yuuki a curious look.

I sat down on a chair that matched the sofa seat and waited while dozens of questions and scenarios flew across my mind to form strange, unsettling conclusions about how Yuuki became unconscious in a place where hungry vampires could have eaten her without another thought.

As I stared at her sleeping form, I realized that it had been a very long time since I had been able to observe her without anyone bothering me or her noticing me. I let my hungry eyes roam over her ivory face, her long eyelashes, her small nose, and her small yet sensuous lips. Without knowing, I licked the tip of my fangs at the sight of those lips. They were a soft pink and plump, and I agonized over fighting the urge to kiss them.

Then my eyes traveled still further down, down to her softly defined jaw line then they finally rested upon her neck, and my mind whirled with wonders of how delicious her creamy skin would feel against my tongue…how easily it would break if my fangs touched it…how her vivacious blood would sate the hunger that I had nursed for the last ten years…how she would moan my name breathlessly as I kissed her all the way down—

She stirred and I wrenched myself out of my fantasy. Yuuki slowly opened her eyes and she lay still for a little while as if confused and trying to understand her unfamiliar surroundings. She slowly turned her head towards me and noticed me sitting in the chair nearby.

"I'm glad you recovered so quickly." I said, unmoving.

Yuuki seemed to recognize me and abruptly sat up in the sofa with a startle. However, her eyes became unfocused and she wobbled before falling forward towards me. I reached out to catch her easily and supported her while she regained her composure. She shyly looked up at me while she still clutched my arms. "Um…Thank you."

I could feel my childish anger coming back when I remembered her words from back when I had doubted the Kiriyu boy in my jealousy. "I thought you weren't speaking to me?"

She froze at my words and her face tried to offer me a sheepish smile at which she miserably failed. "That...If Kaname-senpai has stopped doubting Zero, then it's fine…" She trailed off uncertainly.

I took it as my cue to make up with her. "I did doubt him too much and I do feel bad about it—" it wasn't true, but I felt like that was irrelevant "—and we did end up finding the vampire who did it…but Yuuki," I did my best to keep my face straight as I teased her, "being told that by you…You don't think I'd be upset at you?" I gently cupped her chin in my hand.

"Bu-But…" Her cheeks flushed again but her eyes looked me squarely in the eyes as she said, "The one who was wrong was Kaname-senpai."

I did love her just morals and high values, but not when they were defending the man who threatened to steal my Yuuki's heart. "Who do you think is the one who made me act that way?" I could heart the quick pitter-patter of her heart which in turn made mine race also. "Your heart is beating quite fast…Maybe you understand at little bit about how I feel…" I murmured as I drew my face closer to hear it better.

A knock at the door reminded me to pull away. Ichijou walked in. I stared at him grimly. "So now it is you who is going to call me down…"

He smiled. "You don't have to say it like that, Kaname. The head of the Aidou family is waiting to meet you tonight, remember? Plus, Yuuki has woken up already. She'll be fine if she stays in this room, Kaname. Nobody would dare barge in here." Ichijou's face suddenly indicated that he remembered something. "Speaking of which, how did you end up collapsing here, Yuuki-chan?"

Yuuki was again startled into giving a response. "Y-Yes!"

"We brought you in here so the guests wouldn't see you. We already contacted the school, but could you stay here for a little longer? So what happened?"

I waited for her to answer and she did so slowly. "I brought a lost child to the front of a rundown building and he kissed my cheek…Um, that's all I can remember."

Ichijou sighed and shot me a worried glance. "That's one of the guests' children at tonight's party, I bet. Vampire children steal energy from people." He proceeded to warn her afterwards. "Yuuki-chan, this place is the basement of the rundown building. The Aidou household owns it, and there a party tonight for the vampires who live here. There are a large number of vampires in the building now, and if they find out there is a human here, you will be in great danger."

I stood which drew Yuuki's attention from Ichijou. "Yuuki, I need to go, but you must stay in this room at all times. It is for your safety. Do not open the door for anyone. I will take you back to the academy after the party is over."

Ichijou went ahead and I followed. I gave her a small smile to reassure her and closed the door. My friend led me down a flight of marble stairs and at the bottom, two double doors of magnificent oak opened slowly for me to enter the party full of vampires. As soon as I entered, the chattering hushed and almost everyone in the room bowed to me graciously except for the two hunters who stood watching the crowd carefully. The Kiriyu boy stared at me with immense hate, but I ignored him and went forward with a quiet smile perched on my lips.

"My apologies, I did not mean to disturb all of you." I said calmly.

A vampire that was of the lower noble rank spoke up with his head still bowed. "Kaname-sama, is it true that you took the human's side at the board meeting? This human's…?"

"It is true." I said instantly and firmly.

Whispers erupted from all sides. "Kaname-sama is brilliant.' 'He is trying to make amends with the humans so we can have a peaceful future with them.' 'It is a very astute thing to do.'

I gave them a polite indication with my head and turned to my right to see Aidou standing behind his father. "Kaname-sama, thank you for taking care of my son."

"Thank you for inviting me to this party, Aidou-san. I am sorry I do not show up at parties much."

Aidou-san laughed. "Do not worry about it, Kaname-sama." He paused slightly before stepping aside and behind him stood a young girl. "Actually, I do have a favor to ask of you."

"Father!" Aidou blurted out.

The father disregarded his son's outburst. "This is Tsukiko. It would be great if you took interest in her. Our family would like that very much."

Of course they would like that very much. After all, they had everything to gain if I took interest in their daughter, but I said nothing.

Aidou's face was red with embarrassment. "Father, please stop this. Kaname-sama, I did not ask for this." He said with an earnest bow to me. I knew he did not know of his father's intentions. I did not blame him.

I did my best to humor them and not to cause any humiliation to the host family. "I do not know how this will turn out, but I will keep that in mind."

Then I regretted the words as soon as they came from my mouth. Suddenly, I was pressed at all sides by multitudes of people trying to introduce their daughter. Suddenly, the great double doors creaked open again and I smelled a familiar scent glide into the room. In a flowing pink dress, Shirabuki Sara floated into the room, her shoes barely making any noise on the marble floor.

"Everyone, please do not say things like that. Poor Kaname-san…"

She approached me and I towered over her in height, but something about her eyes gleamed dangerously at me. I gave her another polite smile. "It has been awhile, Sara."

Sara smiled also but it made my heart harden. I reached out to take her hand. "Kaname-san, ever since you started school I haven't seen you at all. We are the only remaining Pureblooded vampires. We must stick together." I put my lips on her cool knuckle and I suddenly realized I felt an unmistakable presence staring at me.

With a cold determination back in me, I stepped back from her. "If you will excuse me, I must see to some business." I said coldly. No one argued or stopped me as I walked back out of the scene. As soon as I heard the doors shut behind me, I swiftly made my way back to the room. Taking one breath to calm my heart, I grasped the handle and pushed. It bumped into something and only opened a little. I looked down and saw the color of Yuuki's coat that she had worn.

"Will you let me in?" I asked quietly.

She got up and I came in the room before I closed the door with a soft click. She uttered my name. "Kaname…senpai…"

Not taking my eyes off the door handle (I was strangely afraid I might do something foolish if I looked at her), I forced my voice to be calm and kind. "I told you not to leave this room."

She must have sensed something wrong because she was rooted to the spot. "Um, I'm sorry…" She whispered.

At the sound of her voice, I looked at her and I suddenly surrendered to the urge to embrace her and take her into my arms. I could feel the heat from her body even through our thick clothing as I held her. "I won't forgive you this time…with just an apology." I said softly.

Something primal in me growled and I lifted her up in my arms and put her back down on the sofa, but this time, I was on top of her, staring hungrily into her blushing face. "Why did you leave the room?" I asked sternly.

She made an effort to make her response. "The child…I was worried about the lost child."

Her innocence made me a little calmer and I sighed as I laid my head to rest on her chest. I could hear her heart racing like mine always did while in her presence. I felt like my energy was gone and my eyes fluttered shut briefly.

"Kaname-senpai…?"

"Before I forgive you, let me stay here for a little while." I could barely fight sleep from my system. "I must be tired…" I murmured as my eyes closed again. All of the stress seemed to just melt away when I was with her. She made everything seem worth living.

Then I felt her arms wrap around me, her hand smoothing my hair like she used to even when she was little. "It's fine," she murmured in the same voice, "I would do anything for Kaname-sama."

Ah…Kaname-sama…How I longed to hear her call me by that name.

Suddenly, her arms withdrew from me and I pushed myself up on my hands to see her grimace under me. "What's wrong, Yuuki?"

"I wasn't going to call you 'sama' anymore…because I'm not the same as I was before, knowing nothing." Her face blushed ever more and she turned her face to the side away from me. "If I call you that, you seem so…distant. So I won't call you that."

My eyes automatically locked upon her exposed neck and as a starved vampire, I could see her main artery pumping blood to and fro her head. My eyes flashed red and I could no longer resist drawing my lips closer. Yuuki went on talking. "As long as I remembered how kind you were to me, that was supposed to be enough…But why…?"

I hovered over her pale neck as my body boiled with hunger. My hand found one of the pillows and I clenched it as if it would help me fight my ravenous desire for her blood and her body. My stomach trembled at the scent of her blood just below her soft, delicate skin and it took everything I had not to bare my fangs. But my body would not let me win over the desire to at least _taste_ her skin, and I obeyed, licking her neck carefully and slowly. The taste of her almost sent my mind ablaze and I squeezed the pillow even tighter to bring myself to break free. I raised myself up again to look at her in the eyes, and I knew by her frightened expression that she could see everything that I had been trying to hide these last ten years: pain, sorrow, loneliness, and desire.

"Your 'kind' lives what seems like mere seconds to us…so fleeting…" Crimson flashed before my eyes again. "Do you want to become a vampire, Yuuki? To become a blood-sucking vampire like me and live for eternity by my side?" To reclaim the throne of being the queen of the entire vampire race? To stay by my side forever? To love each other forever? Even an eternity could not fill my need, my lust, my desire for her. I needed her with me. My heart needed her with me, to beat in sync with it.

I wanted all of her.

Everything.

Now.

I drew near to her neck again slowly, and when she whispered the final "Yes…" I bared my cursed fangs and…

* * *

_Notes: I did my best with the sudden surge of inspiration that hit me at 9 PM. It is now 3 and half hours later that I was able to finish this in one go. Please excuse the hurried grammar and spelling errors. I just wanted to get this one out there for you all. Tell me how you liked/hated it. _


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